Tomb Raider Angel of Darkness novelisation
by IrisOdona1359
Summary: Lara Croft returns from Egypt an very changed person. Circumstances lead her into a dark reality when she becomes a fugitive on the run, accused of the murder of her one time mentor. Now she needs all the skills from her years of tomb raiding to survive alone, clear her name and put a stop to a chain of evil events that have already begun. New chapters up.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

Tomb Raider Angel of Darkness novelisation

_Authors note: I've been looking everywhere for a story of angel of darkness so I stopped and decided to write my own, though recently I've noticed a couple on the site._

_I'm not the best writer in the world so be warned there may be spelling and grammar mistakes , if you find one don't hesitate to let me know._

_The angel of darkness is my favourite tomb raider game which is why I'm writing this although I will probably be changing some details for this story. I hope you enjoy._

_Core Design, Eidos and Crystal Dynamics are the creators/owners respectfully of Tomb Raider, and I'm just writing for fun._

Chapter 1: Prologue

There have been seventeen reported murders so far in this latest outbreak of monstrum killings. It would appear to be the work of a single highly psychotic perpetrator. The name of the latest victim was just released, a Professor Werner Von Croy. A female described as Caucasian brunette and wearing a ponytail was scene leaving the latest crime scene. Officers are advised to use extreme caution when apprehending the suspect. At present nothing appears to link any of the individuals involved.

There have been no known survivors of these attacks so far.

…

There was a deathly silence in the apartment that was broken up by light thunder and rain. The apartment was in disarray, things were thrown aside. An armchair lay on its side next to a sofa on its back and opposite the chairs a small rectangular table was collapsed at the base of the fireplace. On the wall opposite the door was a circular window that was shattered, allowing the wind and rain in. On the adjacent wall in the centre was the fireplace; above it was a large symbol in a circle drawn in blood. On the wall either side of the fireplace there were more signs drawn in blood over the walls.

The rest of the apartment was tidy and clean. This cleanliness was a contrast to the mess in the living room area. In the centre of the mess was a walking stick with an Egyptian jackal's head, gold plated and well crafted. This object fitted in with the numerous artefacts and books on Egypt and archaeology. The walking stick was in the mess near a blood pool.

What had happened here was not understood, the victim was long gone, taken away by the police two days ago. The apartment was now shut off by the crossed police tape on the front door. No one was to enter.

A pair of shadows appeared beneath the front door from the hallway and the tape that covered the door was torn away. The door was opened and someone walked in. they turned into the main room treading carefully. A few paces into the room lead to them treading on a famed photograph. The person picked it up. It was a photograph of a young woman and an older man; they stood to either side of a large stone which was carved into.

The person continued to walk towards the circular window and then to a chest of drawers on the wall adjacent to it. The photograph was placed down below a framed painting. As the lighting flashed a dark haired woman stared questioningly into the reflection on the glass of the painting.


	2. Chapter 2: Egypt's Aftermath

Chapter 2: Egypt's Aftermath

The manor was quiet. The builders had gone for the day leaving behind the scaffolding still along with tools and other equipment; some of these things were now covered in sheets. Winston did that in their absence to make it look tidy.

He looked up to the galley level towards the door that lead to his lady's room. She was still in the cycle of staying in her room for weeks on end occasionally leaving to simply wandering around. Though this was a welcome change from the rampage that lasted for months which had ended when the manor was damaged by a fire hence the need for the builders.

Lara croft had been like that since Egypt.

Last year she'd gone there to visit a friend who'd told her of a tomb he'd uncovered and had invited her to take a look before getting in an archaeology team. She had these request occasionally and was always happy to take a look.

This particular venture had ended badly. Lara would usually return relatively unscathed and in peace of mind. This time she had nearly met her fate in a tomb all her own.

Winston had become ill when he was visited by Professor Von Croy, a former friend and mentor of Lara's, who had told him she was missing in Egypt and presumably dead. He'd been both distraught that she was gone and angry at Von Croy for letting her die. Winston had become very ill and had to send for his nephew Hillary to help him. James Hillary was the son of Winston's sister and was to take over from him eventually. Since Lara's pursuits required more than the average duties of the average butler, Hillary had been in army training and had recently returned from overseas when he heard of the unfortunate news about Lara. Hillary was upset by this news, both at her death and that he'd not had the opportunity to server her.

…

Four months later Hillary had received a phone call at Croft Manor from the authorities in Cairo.

Lara Croft was alive.

She'd been rescued by a nomadic tribe who were looking after her and it was now time for her to return home. Hillary had practically fallen head over heels to tell his uncle the news. Winston was overjoyed that his Lara was alive, the daughter he never had. He had Hillary arrange so that Winston would pick up Lara personally whilst Hillary stayed at the manor and contact Lara's parents.

It occurred to him very suddenly that Von Croy was currently in Egypt searching for her at the tomb. He hated Von Croy, he had been her mentor and some circumstances had led to them becoming rivals. Winston knew that Von Croy was part of the events that had led to Lara becoming trapped and the Egyptian authorities had stated that she'd been rescued by a nomadic tribe not Von Croy.

In Egypt he saw a frail weakened Lara Croft who was blank and still. Standing with her was a tribal woman with a staff, a shaman perhaps. He approached them.

"My lady." he said. Nothing, he walked closer. "Lara."

She looked up to see her dear friend and stood to meet him. Winston embraced her like a father and cried.

For the next four months Lara was angry. First at Von Croy for abandoning her for dead, for her time alone in the tomb she'd thought that perhaps the entrance had collapsed on him and so was unable to help her. The vivid memory was still clear in her mind, where she met him at the entrance. Fearing he was still possessed by set she stepped backwards and had unwillingly fallen into an opening chasm. He had reached out for her.

"Lara, take my hand" he said in desperation. "Lara trust me."

She had hesitated in fear of him and when she did reach up he hadn't reached her hand before she fell into the darkness of the tomb. The shock she'd received when she'd finally made her way to the surface to find that the expedition of his had all gone had caused her to loose all faith. It was mere chance that a Nomadic tribe passed by later that day to find her half buried in the sand.

The second thing that made her angry was the damned statue that had been commissioned by friends of hers. The 'Once and future adventurer'. It hadn't taken her long to find some weapons and destroy it where it stood. She didn't want to be remembered as a fallen explorer.

Finally she was angry at herself. Her way of life had killed her spirit and very nearly herself. She had become depressed and sour, drinking and destroying half her possessions. Later she'd unintentionally started a fire that damaged her home.

The fire had been a turning point much to the relief of Winston and Hillary. Though Lara had stopped drinking at that point she had become withdrawn and quiet.

During the first of the four months the papers had been filled with news of her miraculous survival. The famous Lara Croft could not be held by a tomb. Reporters had gathered at the gates of the estate for weeks at least until Lara scared them off by firing shots over their heads causing them to flee. They didn't come back. The only comment issued by Lara through Winston was 'leave me alone.'

Lady Lara Croft, Countess of Abbingdon, daughter of Lord Richard and Lady Amelia Croft had withdrawn completely from the public eye.

…

Winston stood looking towards Lara's room when the bell rang which shook him out of his daze. The clock said 10:40, probably the postman. He put the sheets he was holding down and went to answer; he passed Hillary who was taking a breakfast tray to Lara. The postman it was indeed, he had some letters, a package and a telegram from Paris. Winston looked at the telegram carefully. It was for Lara, from Von Croy.

The nerve of the man, he wanted to see her in Paris as soon as possible. Winston was wary of giving it to Lara, worried that it might send her into another rage. He decided that if he had to give it to her he would wait till the afternoon.

_Authors note: I added the character of Hillary from the films because it made sense to me after all Winston is not a young man and I've also gone with the Core story line that Lara's parents are still alive thought I've used the Crystal names. I hope no ones too confused._


	3. Chapter 3: Paris

Chapter 3: Paris

Winston managed to persuade Lara to consider Von Croys message to visit him. He had changed his tactics to having her take a proper holiday to Paris and see him while she was there. Getting it over and done with then to spend the rest of her time there as an actual tourist, which was something she didn't do often. The idea seemed to spring some life back into her and she agreed. A relaxing two weeks in Paris would be a welcome change of pace for Lara.

In Paris Lara spent the first day doing the usual tourist stuff she went to the Notre Dame cathedral and to the Eiffel Tower. It wasn't as interesting as her usual overseas ventures but at least she wasn't pouting around the manor all day.

Lara came back to her hotel the evening and went to her room. Her watched told her it was 7:15; she decided that it was time to make contact with Werner. She searched her bag for the telegram; it had a phone number which she called.

"Professor Von Croy, Who is it?" his voice was shaking slightly. This surprised Lara since he wasn't a man in her experience to be scared like that.

"Werner, it's Lara." She replied. "When should I come?" she was direct, he knew what she meant, he had sent for her.

"You will come? Good, I live on Rue Valise apartment nine in the Chantell building. Come quickly." he rang off. It was strange to hear him afraid. She wasn't looking forward to this meeting but she called reception to get her a taxi, she was going anyway.

The taxi dropped her off outside the Chantell building. The area seemed rundown and abandoned. Derelict. Werner lived here? She approached the shabby building and rang for number nine.

"Who is it?"

Lara hesitated for a moment. She replied.

"It's Lara"

A buzzing sound was heard which signalled that the door was opened. Lara made her way to Werner's apartment on the third floor. It wasn't a big complex, there were twelve altogether some how interlocked. She knocked when she reached number nine.

Lara found herself face to face with the very man she once called friend.

Werner ushered her into the apartment quickly. He sat down in the chair in front of the circular window ahead of her and gestured her to sit in the adjacent chair. They sat for a few moments staring. Why was she here? Was he going to apologies for abandoning her?

"What's all this about Werner?" she asked.

"Help me Lara. I need you to get something for me or I'm going to be killed."

"Go on."

"I'm tracking five Obscura Paintings for a client called Eckhardt. But he's a psychopath."

She knew immediately the reason he'd brought her here. He wanted to use her not to talk things over or say sorry.

"Not my problem. You took the commission and if you're now out of your depth. Why should I care." She spat at him. He stood.

"Because I'm being stalked!" he replied. "I daren't go into the streets. People are dying out there!"

"Handle it Werner. I had to when you abandoned me in the tombs." She stood to meet him then turned to leave. Werner picked up a piece of paper and thrust it into her hand.

"Lara, please. Look, go and see this woman, Carvier. She can help" Lara threw the piece of paper on the floor. He was getting desperate, but she didn't care, she wanted to get out of there and away from him.

"Sort out your own mess. I'm going"

"No, wait!" he reached for her shoulder and when he did she spun around and pushed him back into his chair. She leaned on the arms and said right into his face.

"Egypt Werner. You walked away and left me."

In that moment Werner pulled out a gun and shouted.

"Get out!"

…

Lara opened her eyes to find herself on the floor, of her hotel room? As she looked around she realised that she was still in the apartment. As she got up she saw something slumped over on the floor beneath the window.

Werner.

The last thing she could remember was Werner pulling out a gun on her. What had happened? The room was a mess and in the midst of it was Werner's body. She moved to him and held him.

He was dead.

Whatever reconciliation they could have made was forever gone. She kissed his forehead and let him down from her arms. She stood and looked at her hands. They were covered with blood. Did she kill him? Or was it from when she held him just now.

Every thing was confusing and blank. She couldn't remember what had happened. Lara was now terrified, as she stepped she stood on some thing. It was the piece of paper with Carvier's address. Lara decided that she'd go to Carvier to try to find some answers to what Werner wanted from her. It seemed that she would end up helping him anyway. The address for Carvier's place wasn't far away. In fact she'd gone past the building in the taxi on her way here. Lara placed the paper in her pocket and made her way out. She had to leave and fast.

Lara got outside to find it was raining. Not wanting to be soaked and wanting to be as far away from this place as possible she jogged down the road an took a shortcut down an alley. To her surprise she suddenly heard sirens which sparked her into a full run. When she neared the end of the alley a police van stopped there. She froze.

The back doors suddenly burst open and two dogs burst out. Instinctively she ran. Partway down the alley she spotted a door that lead into one of the abandoned apartment blocks. She shouldered it open and ran in, up the stairs and down the corridor. In truth she had no idea where she was going, she just had to get away. She could hear the dog's chasing her. To her dismay the corridor she'd gone down to a dead end aside from a window. She lifted open the window and just as she was climbing out one of the dogs jumped at her back grabbing onto her backpack. In desperation she tore herself away letting the straps break letting her loose to the ground below.

Lara looked up at the dogs; one of them had her lucky bag in its mouth. It was the bag she' found on her first venture in Cambodia when she had joined Von Croy's expedition there. It hadn't ended well when Werner got caught in a trap by his own ignorance. Lara had rushed to the other members of the dig and they had got him out of it after a few hours.

Lara turned away from the dogs and rushed to a nearby door which lead to an enclosed courtyard. There were steps to her left though an ornate rusty gate which lead down to the street level. She was about to pass through it when she stopped.

She was Lara Croft, Countess of Abbingdon the world renowned tomb raider, she wasn't going through the door. She instead vaulted over the railings onto the ground below landing firmly and stood.

The tomb raider was back and she'd need all her skills now more than ever.

_Authors note: I'd like to point out that the converation between Lara an Von Croy is extended based on TRAOD text files I found on the KTEB site._


	4. Chapter 4: Escaping the Backstreets

Chapter 4: Escaping the Backstreets

She was alone in the night in the middle of the Parisian Industrial backstreets. Now she had no backpack and without that she had no money, no phone, nothing. She checked her pockets for anything, she still had Carviers address. Lara was glad she hadn't put in the bag or else she wouldn't know where to go. She closed her eyes to imagine the rout she took from Werner's apartment after she was chased. She figured that they'd not chased her too far away from Carviers place. The thought that her bag would now be in the hands of the police scared her. With that they'd be able to identify her.

She was safe for the time being, but she needed to find a way out and get to Carvier. She looked about her there was a door to her right that lead to another yard, so she went there. The door was locked. _Damn._ Oh well if she couldn't go around she'd go up and over. Fortunately the walkways above her were more or less intact. She climbed on to bin then up onto the first level. She felt a surge of luck, ahead of her was another door above the one that was locked and perhaps this one would not be.

It wasn't and she was now above a yard steps behind her to the lower level lead to the door she couldn't open. From where she was she had a good view. Ahead of her were two exits one to the right lead to another courtyard and the left lead to the streets. And they lead to another area on the other side of the block. She was considering this route until she saw a police patrolling the area. Perhaps she could avoid him by going the long way through the courtyard to the left except she could now see flashing lights approaching, a police car was there. She had to find another way around or seriously risk being arrested.

Lara would go back to where she was and find a way up and over. She back tracked the walkway to find a ladder to the next level. Once there was a second ladder to the third level as she went towards it she came across an open window, being curious she went in, maybe she'd find something useful. The drawers and cupboards revealed nothing terribly useful except some cash. Not much but cash in any quantity would be useful. She exited and went up to the third level.

On the third level had run out of ladders to get to the roof, but there was a pipe. It looked sturdy enough to get her to the roof. Once there she had a view of the streets below and saw the next apartment she would need to get to. According to her mental map she was going in the right direction. She needed to get to Place St Sulpice, apartment 17a.

Lara crossed the rooftop and below her was the policeman she was earlier and from her vantage point the car was also visible and in was one police officer and another now joining the first. Just below the roof was another walkway and a policeman was there, which made a grand total of four. He was probably up there for the same reason as her, a better view of the streets, and probably searching for her.

She followed the walkway around the corner and below her at the end was a ladder that lead to the ground. A plan formulated in her head, get down to the walkway, down the ladder, across the courtyard below to the next building and get in without being seen, heard or arrested. The principle was relatively simple; actually doing it would be hard. She waited for the two on the street to be out of sight in their patrol and lowered herself carefully to the walkway.

No sound, at least until she heard a police radio from the man around the corner on the walkway. She couched down to be hidden when the two below came back into view. They were the ones contacting him asking if he'd seen anything. No. that was good. She stood again and stealthily with her back to the wall moved to the corner and peered around. The man had his back to her so she decided to take advantage of him, and get hold of his radio. That way she could listen out for their movements. She crept up on him and got him in a silent choke until he was unconscious. It seemed she hadn't lost any of her strength. She took his radio and his gun along with a spare clip. She was now armed and had an ear on the police.

She made her way back and again waited for the patrol to get out of sight before making her way down. She was halfway to the next place when she was spotted. She ran into the door of the apartment and immediately closed it and bolted it shut. Quick thinking, she moved a cabinet in front of the door to make it more difficult for them. It wouldn't last long as they were already trying to bash the door in.

In the hallway were stairs and a lift. She tried the lift but it wasn't working so she had to take the stairs. Getting to the first floor was fine; looking up at the second floor she knew she had a small problem. One, part of the second flight stairs were missing and the floor above had collapsed at some point. By the time she got to the second floor, jumping the gap, the police broke in. she had to jump the big gap now where the floor was gone, and probably had only one chance to do so. Backing herself down a small corridor she ran and jumped barely making it across.

The police were ascending and she hoped that none of them were long jumpers. The third floor was no problem though getting to the fourth floor was. She found herself clambering though bits of fallen ceiling and at the same time listening for her pursuers. From their speech they weren't able to get across the gap but they were now trying to activate the lift. Lara noticed as she looks around that the lift was currently on the top floor.

Lara opened the available door on the last floor to find herself in a control room for the lift. She decided to play with the police and activated the lift. The police did exactly as she expected and they climbed in. as soon she heard their ascent she switched it off. And from their anger she could make out that she'd successfully trapped them between two floors. The control room had a second door, which lead out to the rooftops.

On the roof she took out the radio and tuned in. Though she had slowed her immediate problems she now had a new one. They had called for backup in the form of a police helicopter and apparently there was one already on its way. Looking out ahead of her in the direction she wanted to go were two more buildings one behind the other but there was no way across. There was a cable that connected this building to another. It was two building away in another direction but it was her only choice. She looked carefully at this row of buildings plus the one behind and saw that the three in front were all connected by walkways, perhaps the one behind was connected too, thought she would deal with that when she got there. No problem.

Lara crossed the cable hanging by her hands and feet and prayed it didn't break before she got to the other side. She heard a rumbling sound and realized the helicopter was coming. She was cold, wet and hanging about five storey's high above the ground and now she was under threat of a helicopter. How could her day get worse? It already was. The copter had seen her.

Nearly there, the roof was not far now, but that didn't solve her immediate predicament as the copter had started firing at her. She was just letting go of the cable when a bullet scraped her right shoulder and embedded itself in a crate. She rushed to duck behind it. _Oh great, cold wet and now bleeding_. She mustered her strength and slid down the roof to the first connecting walkway below. And once inside the next building and out of sight of the police copter she stopped. It wasn't so bad, only a scratch. She was most fortunate to be under cover now and now she had plenty she'd only be exposed now on the walkways and once she got to the roof of the next building.

The sound of the helicopter was moving. No longer behind her now ahead, it occurred to her that they might not see her pass into the next building. When she got outside she realized she didn't need to go in, next to the walkway was a ladder to the roof. She climbed to the top of the ladder but stayed hidden looking around. The area was flooded with a searchlight from the copter. There was a platform above the roof the same level as the building she wanted to go. It wasn't a long distance to the next building but to get to there, she would be seen. No choice, now or surrender. The copter moved the searchlight away. She used this chance and climbed onto the roof, ran to the platform and climbed that. She ran and jumped to the next building landing firmly and ran to the other side of that roof and realized to her horror that one, there was no way down, two the next building was a long distance away and now the copter had turned the search light to her and were demanding she surrender to the police.

She looked ahead and saw a gutter that ran the length of the roof. If it was as strong as the pipe she climbed earlier she could have a chance. She walked toward the copter and they slowed and started to land. She turned and ran, jumping across the massive gap and grabbed the gutter. She'd almost lost her grip and managed to get both hands on. The police were in an uproar as they lifted the copter again to pursue her. Lara was about to pull up when the gutter gave way and she fell.

She landed in an industrial sized skip and stayed still. The copter left as they couldn't land close enough to check, and with them gone Lara was safe again. She climbed out and reached into her pocket for Carvier's address. Place St Sulpice, apartment 17a. She walked off down the alley she was in and found herself at the edge of derelict zone.

To her right was the derelict zone to her right and to her left she could see a few well kept apartment blocks. Following her instincts she went left and soon came across Place St Sulpice.

_Authors note: I'm assuming that Lara understands French and since I don't I'm not putting any in because I don't want to offend anyone if I get it wrong. I'd like to know if it's worth continuing._


	5. Chapter 5: Meeting with Carvier

Chapter 5: Meeting with Carvier

Lara's hopes were raised when she finally reached Carviers place. She caught a look at her reflection in the glass door of the building entrance, she looked a right state. She tapped the intercom for apartment 17a, hoping she was in the right place.

"Who is it?" a woman answered, Lara was glad of that.

"Mlle Carvier?" She asked. "It's Lara Croft. I need your help."

"Come up."

Lara knocked on the door when she arrived at the apartment. She heard the sound of a peephole cover opening and closing Miss Carvier had obviously decided too take a look before opening the door, which she promptly did.

"Ms Croft." She confirmed. "I recognize you from photos, and Werner's description. Come in."

" Thank you." Lara entered and Carvier lead her to a modest sized living room. Ahead of the entrance was the kitchen and there were two other doors. It was a very nice apartment, Carvier even had a large fish tank with a variety of small fish. Carvier and Lara stood on either side of a small coffee table, they did not sit.

"An evil night to be out alone Ms Croft, our streets are not safe any more." That was too true lara thought, as the other woman seemed to be examining Laras tatty appearance.

"Mademoiselle Carvier I have just come from Werner's apartment."

"And how is Werner?" carvier asked. Lara thought for a moment whether or not she should be told of Werner's death. But if she didn't things could go from bad to worse.

"I'm afraid Werner is dead." Lara's voice was shaking slightly. Carvier seemed genuinely shocked.

"Dead?"

"Yes, and I don't have time to waste. I'm being chased all over Paris." At this point Lara thought it was best to be honest with this woman who right now had the power to help or hinder her.

"You owe me an explanation. I'm waiting." Carvier crossed her arms and stood very still. And Lara started her story.

"It's all a bit vague. I arrived at his apartment today from England. He was babbling with fear." It wasn't too far from the truth.

"He said he'd tried to contact you."

"He did." Lara said. "I never expected that. Not after Egypt."

"Werner has been fearful for his life." Carvier explained. "He accepted a commission five weeks ago. Since then he's been acting strangely, jumping at shadows. "That didn't sound unfamiliar; Werner was acting out of his normal demeanour when she was there. Werner had taken commissions before so it was not unusual, but it was unusual however for him to become a man in fear of his life.

" Who was the commission from?" Lara asked, she already knew of one name but she wanted to be sure that she was thinking of the right person.

"The client's name was Eckhardt." Carvier told her, the same 'madman' the Werner had told her about. "He wanted Werner to research something called the Obscura Paintings. Werner approached me at my department at the Louvre."

"Were you able to help him?"

"A little I think. Poor Werner was clearly terrified." Carvier replied.

"What are the Obscura Paintings?" This was the first time Lara had heard of this, these paintings."

"They are five 15th century images, thought to be linked to Alchemy and the dark arts."

"Why was he terrified?" she remembered Carvier mentioning it.

"He felt he was being stalked."

"He could well have been." Lara said. "The Monstrum is running around Paris, according to the press." In recent news a series of killing had occurred in Paris. The press had dubbed the killer as the monstrum. Carvier stepped back from Lara to stand in the doorway of the kitchen.

"Werner left a package here with me for safekeeping." She said cautiously. "I was to give it to you if anything happened to him."

"Package?" Werner left her a package?

"It is his field notebook. Addressed to you." _His Field notebook, Werner guarded his notebooks like gold._ "He said he wanted you to have it - if anything happened to him."

"If he left his notebook, he was spooked." Lara said, she knew that if Werner had left it for her, he was terrified and that the notebook contained what he wanted her for in the first place.

"You still haven't explained what happened." Carvier said bringing the conversation back to the beginning.

"We argued, I can remember that. And - gunfire!" Lara hadn't recalled that before, Werner had fired his gun.

"Gunfire! Werner was shot? Did you kill him?" lara felt this woman was interrogating her.

"I… I can't remember. It's all a blur."

"Ms Croft, I strongly suggest that you talk to the police." The police wouldn't be able to help her. They wanted to arrest her.

"If I'd wanted to kill Werner I could have done that in Egypt." Lara was starting to get annoyed with this woman, and was now raising her voice. "I didn't kill him. I didn't!"

"If you say so" Carvier looked at her hard. "You don't look convinced yourself." She didn't believe Lara.

"I'm not going to waste any more time here! Do you have the notebook here?" Now all Lara wanted was Werner notebook and to leave.

"I do. It's safe for the moment."

"Then I suggest you give it to me, now!" Lara was getting really annoyed now.

"Somebody killed Werner. You say you don't remember clearly what happened. Perhaps the police are right in suspecting you."

"I never killed Werner!"

"I think you'd better leave Ms Croft." Carvier gestured the door behind Lara.

"What about the notebook?"

"I think not. Werner was unsure of you and so am I."

"Mademoiselle, what are you doing?" Lara shouted. Carvier turned to leave into one of the side rooms and locked the door.

"I've decided it would be wrong of me to hand over the notebook. I'm going to call the police. My warning is out of respect for Werner's memory but that's all the chance I'm giving you." _Oh great the police would be there any minute. _Now she needed to escape again, but first she needed Werner's notebook.

Carvier had stood in the kitchen doorway when she'd spoken of the notebook. Lara concluded that it was probably in there. She found a stocked first aid kit and a full bottle of water; she found the notebook in a drawer, hidden with some recipe cut-outs. Lara wasn't surprised when lights appeared outside. The police had arrived. It was time to leave.

Lara made her way to the front door, on her way she pocketed some cash and a diamond ring, she could pawn later for extra cash. She left, part way down the corridor she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. She walked back as quietly as she could and decided to drop out a window at the other end of the corridor. She landed near the police car which fortunately for her was empty. She jogged past through the rain.

Lara couldn't risk going into anymore well off areas, and decided to remain in the ghetto area. She also needed shelter for the night. She was cold and wet again and now tired. After jogging around for twenty minutes she almost ran into a police patrol. She vaulted onto a wall above an abandoned metro station. In the area was an old carriage. Shelter. It would do for the night. She climbed down and made her way inside.

Once inside she removed her denim jacket and looked at her injury from the helicopter earlier that evening. She took the first ait kit out and bandaged her arm. She took her jacket and some thread from the kit and stitched up the hole.

She examined the things she had with her digging into all her pockets. Carviers address, she didn't need it anymore; a police radio which she switched on to keep an ear out for police, a police service weapon with only one spare clip, first aid kit, water bottle, amulet, cash, a ring and Werner's notebook.

Lara sat up and flicked through it quickly, she'd look at it properly tomorrow. There were notes of the Obscura paintings and Eckhardt. There were other names mentioned including Carviers and the Louvre. Lara's eyelids were shutting. She put the notebook into her jacket and fell asleep quite quickly.

…

_You have unique strengths Lara. Learn to trust them. _

_But how will I remember Putai? _

_Whenever your need is strong remember the amulet. It will help you to learn. _

_But the past still troubles me. _

_You will learn _

_There is a great darkness ahead of you Lara. Remember the amulet. And use your strength wisely. You are ready. _

_Where are you Putai? _

_Where I have always been. Remember the amulet._

_Putai_

_**Authors note: for those who don't know Putai was a deleted character who was the tribal shaman.**_


	6. Chapter 6: Locating Bouchard

Chapter 6: Locating Bouchard

Light. It was morning. Lara awoke on the floor of the train carriage she looked at her watch, it was half seven. She sat on one of the chairs taking out Werner's notebook. She read some of the entries. A couple of the entries mentioned Carvier and some sort of dig going on beneath the Louvre that she had access to. This connected to another entry about a Louis Bouchard; Werner had contacted him for equipment and maps of the Louvre. Carvier had nothing else to tell Lara and probably wouldn't even if she did. Bouchard was the next person she needed to talk with, but where to find him was the problem, the notebook didn't have any contact details. She'd have to ask around.

She left the carriage and looked about her shelter now in day light. It looked less secretive in the daylight. The area was surrounded by high walls and fencing, the rising sunlight flooded the area and all was visible. In the corner of her eye in the one are that was sheltered was light of a different kind, a fire. Two homeless men with a dog sat around a fire inside an old barrel under the under croft of what was part of the metro tunnel. Homeless people could sometimes be helpful if they set up a pitch of their own.

"Is this your pitch?" she asked them.

"All Paris is my pitch. Got any spare change, for a coffee?"

"Maybe, I need to find a man?"

"Then look no further ma petite." The man answered with a smile.

"This is a particular man. Bouchard. Louis Bouchard. Know him?" she asked.

"No. Never heard of him." Lara changed her approach.

"Even for spare change." The man became very agitated.

"Go away! I never heard of him!"

"So where could I ask? I could use a coffee, how about you?" The man relaxed a bit.

"Try the Café Metro. The owner might be able to help you, knows all kinds of stuff."

"Sounds like my kind of café."

"What about the spare change mademoiselle?" he asked with some hope.

"I didn't say I had any." She lied, he'd never know. The man shrugged his shoulders.

"Welcome to Paris" she left him and his friend to their own devices.

She looked up to where she had come over the night before. She'd come over the wall on top of a large pipe that crossed to opposite sides of the area above the carriage that Lara had slept in that night. Today Lara would cross the pipe to the other side. To a walkway that was above the old metro tunnel, that might lead into the streets where she could ask around for Bouchard.

When she had climbed up, she looked at the carriage below. It looked small and insignificant in its surroundings. The walkway went along the side which lead to a metal door that probably went to the streets, Lara also saw that she wasn't alone up here. A man was standing near the door, he obviously saw her.

"Looking for anything special little lady?" he asked. He was probably up to no good but he could now a thing or two. Lara engaged him in conversation.

"So what are you?" Lara said. "A city guide?" the man seemed amused by Lara's reference to him. A City guide.

"That's right. I'm a city guide. All tastes and interests catered for." Tastes and intrests probably included a few things on the latter side of legal. Not that it actually mattered to her.

"Good, I need directions. I'm trying to find a man called Bouchard. Do you know him?" the man got quiet suddenly.

"That's not a healthy kind of question to be asking." He'd gone from suggestive to frightened.

"Don't tell me Paris is dangerous."

"Oh, we got all kinds of rough stuff here in Paris, including our own serial killer." The man said "Have you heard of the Monstrum? Huh! Have you heard of him?"

"What do you really know about the Monstrum?" Lara asked. The man clearly wasn't comfortable with her questions.

"Not much. But I'd watch my rear on the streets if I didn't know my way around."

"Which you obviously do. So how do I find this Bouchard?"

"He won't have time for casual callers. Been having staff problems at his club I hear." That supprised Lara, she thought she was looking for some sort of contact in the same or similar field of Werner not a club owner.

"Bouchard runs a club?"

"Yeah, Le Serpent Rouge, Flashy joint."

"Why should losing staff be such a big deal?" Staff for clubs came and went from time to time.

"Because these staff are dying on the job. Messily. No one knows why. Or how."

"You don't think Bouchard's up to handling it?"

"Keep your voice down. Bouchard can handle all he needs to. But this is something different."

"Something creepy. His people didn't die pretty. It's got him really shaken." He was disturbed at the thought.

"Is it the Monstrum?" Lara asked.

"Who knows for sure. I just try to keep my nose clean. You should too."

"So you've no idea where Bouchard is."

"No." he said plainly.

"Well, I'm sure someone does. I'll ask around."

"Yeah! Do that. Why don't you try Café Metro." He offered.

"Who do I talk to there, the owner?"

"Hey, I'm kidding, really. The guy's a complete loser. Forget it. Go home. Do something recreational." The man slipped back into his suggestive form. "Which is where I might be able to help."

"No thanks."

"Having to keep low eh?" he laughed. "That's hard, 'specially with the cops being so trigger happy.

"Should I give Bouchard your regards when I find him?"

"No! Don't do that! But if you're at a loose end look me up. I'm sure we could find something diverting for you. You know, something special." The conversation at this point was getting away from the point.

"See you around." She said. It worked; the man stopped talking and stepped back beside the door taking out a cigarette. Lara had gotten some info from him. Bouchard, whoever he was, was a dangerous man. He also mentioned the same café as the homeless man below, except he called the owner a looser, so perhaps not.

Going through the door she was now the streets. Lara recognised that she was in one of the Parisian ghettos dotted around Paris, not much of an improvement from where she was last night. Ahead of her a woman on the corner, dressed in black with a shiny red jacket, smoking. From the blonde haired woman's attire she was probably waiting for customers. Lara walked to her.

"Not a lot of passing trade at this hour." Lara said.

"It's early yet. Move along Ma Chere. You make the place look crowded." The woman seemed somewhat defensive as if she thought… oh.

"I wouldn't worry; we're not in the same class." Lara said trying to reassure the woman that she wasn't a danger to her 'work'. "Have you worked in this neighbourhood for long?" the woman relaxed satisfied that Lara wasn't looking to take her customers from her.

"What can I do for you Cherie?"

"I'm looking for someone you might know, name of Bouchard." Lara asked. She felt like she was turning into a parrot asking the same questions over and over again.

"You won't find him here Ma Chere. He did run the club down the road, Le Serpent Rouge, but had to move premises. There was a lot of trouble I heard. Things needed to lie quiet for a while."

"Oh? What kind of trouble?" the man she'd just spoken to had mentioned that some of Bouchard's people had been killed recently.

"Lost some of his best people, very messy business, made him nervous and that's saying something."

"Do you know where he moved to?" Lara asked.

"No idea. There are people who know. But if your man wants to lie low he won't be easy to contact. What do you need with a dangerous individual like Bouchard?" the woman asked.

"I'm trying to track down a friend's movements." Lara replied.

"Lost is he?"

"Dead." Lara said this very plainly. "But he made contact with Bouchard before he... checked out."

"Tell you what, there're two guys who used to work at Le Serpent Rouge."

"So Bouchard didn't lose everybody." This was an improvement.

"No. These two left before the troubles closed the place down. One's a miserable old devil called Bernard who was the janitor there. He hangs about in the park sometimes." Janice was telling her more than the other two she spoken to had said together.

"And the other one?"

"The other one, Pierre, worked as a barman. Makes bad deals that backfire on him. He runs the café in the Place d'Arcade now." Janice pointed up a set of steps on the other side of the road. "Café Metro. You never know. Might be worth a shot." The café owner again, and now a location.

"What makes this café owner so unlucky?"

"Oh, he's a total loser. Claims Bouchard held back something of his and kept it at the club. I don't know the details."

"Better than anything I have so far. Thanks. I didn't catch your name." This was definite. Janice was being very direct and helpful; Lara now had two possible contacts to find Bouchard.

"Janice. Everyone knows me round here. Look, be careful Cherie. Bouchard's a mean operator. And he's been targeted hard recently."

"Does anyone know who's causing Bouchard all this grief? Or why?" Business men like Bouchard were very difficult to target like that.

"No. Or they're not saying. The Monstrum has got everyone too scared to talk."

"I'd have thought Bouchard would be geared up for trouble."

"He can handle it alright no one better. But the way his people have been dying - so ugly. You watch out Ma Cher. There's a lot of sickoes loose on the streets."

"Yeah."

"That's OK. Some of us like it that way." Lara raised her eyebrows, smiled and walked away. It was a bit of a creepy thing to say, but then again Janice probably needed some of those people for her work. The 'Le Serpent Rouge' club was down the road and was clearly closed, boarded and taped up. There was some security which included a police car and a man at the main door.

Café Metro was in the opposite direction, so Lara decided to pay the owner a visit. She couldn't find the café. There was a news vendor who was up early, even though there was hardly anyone about. She decided to get a paper, it might have some thing in to about the monstrum that she'd heard about.

"Do you have any foreign language newspapers? The London Times perhaps?"

"As chance would have it I do." He looked around and fished one out for her folding it, Lara paid him.

"Is there anywhere to get a drink nearby?"

"Try Café Metro. The coffee is good even if the owner is a loser."

"Thank you, where is it?"

"Down there, you can't miss it its yellow and red with clouded windows" he said pointing behind her "It's just a friendly suggestion. But don't waste your time at Café Metro."

"Oh, why not?"

"The owner is a complete loser. He's well known for it. Bon chance."

The mans directions led her to the Café he'd described, a red and yellow canopy and windows that were quite opaque, it looked as if they'd never been cleaned. The curtains were drawn though the sign said it was open. It probably didn't help to have a dirty great motorcycle right outside the front door. But at least she found it.

_Authors note: just so you know, the vendor is a deleted character from the game. Also I don't mind having a review or two as I go along, I would like to know what you think. I'm also open to any suggestions in you have one._


	7. Chapter 7: Running Erands

Chapter 7: Running Erands

The inside of the café was a bit more impressive than the outside. And inside were three people, two were behind the bar talking, owner and employee probably. The other was a customer sat in the corner by the window, and looked as of he'd been there all night. The customer looked up at her.

"Bonjour" Lara said to him.

"Mornin'." the man replied in an American accent. He went back to whatever it was that he was doing. Turning to the counter the elder of the two at the bar went into the back Lara approached. The young man turned to her.

"What do you want?" The young man was trying to flirt with her, and badly.

"Are you Pierre?"

"Possibly, What can I get you?"

"Information, you used to work at Le Serpent Rouge. I need to find your ex-boss Bouchard." The young man turned and called for Pierre since it wasn't himself.

"Pierre, Lady out here wants you. He's coming." He said and picked up a cloth, went around the bar and started to clean the tables behind her. Pierre came out from the back. He looked at lara with a frown.

"I don't know you" he said. "What do you want?"

"Information." She repeated.

"Really! Well everyone wants something for nothing."

"It needn't be for nothing. We could trade."

"Trade?" He seemed to pick up at her suggestion.

"You were the barman at Le Serpent Rouge. Correct?" he nodded "I need to find your ex-boss Bouchard"

"You don't look like police." He was being cautious and rightly so. She'd seen already that Bouchard's club was being monitored by the police.

"No, I'm not but I do deal with problems. Sort them out."

"And run errands no doubt." He seemed sceptical. "What sort of problems?"

"What sort of problems do you have? Any situations need clearing up? Difficulties removed?" Janice had mentioned that Pierre had apparently left something at the club which he wanted but hadn't been able to get. Perhaps it could be to her advantage.

"In exchange for information about Louis Bouchard. Hm. That's dangerous information." By this time Pierre had lowered his voice slightly. It seemed to be a common occurrence to the people of this area when Bouchard's name was part of the conversation.

"I'm a dangerous girl. And right now I'm losing patience." Lara put a bit of attitude on to hopefully get things moving. She could sense that this man knew how to get in contact with Bouchard or at least where ha was now.

"I do have a 'situation' that needs tidying." He said "A retrieval job. Something I forgot to pickup from Le Serpent Rouge when I left in a hurry. It's mine. And I want it back." Just what she wanted to hear.

"Why didn't you just pick it up yourself?" she asked.

"Two guesses." Now he was being sarcastic so she replied with equal sarcasm.

"Bouchard? The Monstrum?"

"Don't joke about the Monstrum! Bouchard ran a lot of operations there. The place is staked out."

"Fine, just tell me where the item is in the club."

"It's a small box, small enough to fit inside one of the stage lights." He said "The one that doesn't work."

"That's it?" now Lara was sceptical, but agreed anyway. "OK, I can work with that. How do I get into the club?"

"I still have a key to the club. It'll get you in behind the stage area at the back, the doors down an alley on the left side. Return what's mine to me, here, and I'll put you in touch with Louis Bouchard."

"I'm sure he'll be glad to hear from you again."

"He isn't going to. I just tell you where to find him. Then it's up to you." She was starting to feel as if he was stringing her along just so he could get his precious box back.

"OK. And if this doesn't work out I know where to find you. Don't I Pierre." Her warning seemed to be heard clearly by him.

"No problem, I'll just go and get the key. It might take me a while to find it. Have a coffee in the meantime." He offered. He called his employer to the counter and went into the back again. Lara ordered a coffee and sat down on a table near the bar. The young man finished and went into another door which looked as if it led to some toilets.

Lara hadn't noticed before but there was a radio on and in arms reach of her. She leaned over and turned it up a bit then spread out her newspaper. Nothing too interesting on the front but there was a section about the latest Monstrum killing in Paris on page three.

'PARISIAN 'MONSTRUM' KILLINGS CONTINUE.'

'The latest victim of the Paris 'Monstrum' was discovered yesterday. The mutilated body of professor Werner Von Croy was found after a woman was seen leaving the building under suspicious circumstances. The notorious Monstrum serial killer has periodically terrorized Paris and other European capitals over the last decade. A characteristic of these brutal attacks is the bizarre metallic eruptions on many parts of the victims' bodies. Forensic specialists are mystified by the process involved. There have been no reports of any survivors of these unconnected attacks.'

There was nothing so far that involved her. _Thank God._ She looked up to find the customer in the corner staring at her. He was young, late 20's she'd guess, like her. Brown hair, Pale eyes and probably belonged with the motorbike outside. He sat up and stretched up slightly and as he did the jacket he wore opened a bit and her eyes saw a familiar sight, a brief glimpse of the butt of a gun. The man was armed. A radio report distracted her from this stranger.

"NEWSFLASH - The Monstrum has struck again. This time the victim was a Professor Margot Carvier of the department of Medieval and Renaissance Studies at the Louvre." _Oh no._ "Her body was discovered yesterday and police want to interview a woman seen leaving the premises around the time of the murder. She is described as Caucasian, brunette, about 1.8m and slim build. When last seen she was wearing jeans, dark jacket and a pony tail." _Uh oh!_ "This follows the similar murder of Professor Werner Von Croy a world renowned archaeologist murdered earlier that evening in his apartment where a woman of the same description was also seen leaving." _Crap._

Lara was in trouble the man across the café had also heard the news report and she was still wearing the same clothes and hairstyle. She finished her coffee, stood and went to the bar. Fortune was in her favor that as she got to the bar Pierre came out the back, key in hand and that he hadn't been here to listen to the news. She said nothing but took the key and left avoiding eye contact with the man in the corner.

…

Once several meters' away from the café Lara stooped and breathed she slipped back down the steps she'd taken earlier. The club still had police there but the car was now gone and from what she could see the man standing guard out front was a different man, they had probably changed shifts the night watch was now gone and the day watch was now in their place.

Lara was hungry she needed to eat before breaking into the club. Or she might not have the stamina to carry out her job in there. She walked in the opposite direction hoping to find a shop that sold something simple. She passed a pawn brokers and remembered the ring she took, she'd need some more cash probably so she went in.

The man inside was leaning on one arm on his counter looking at something. Lara hoped it wasn't a newspaper.

"Open for business?" she asked. He looked up.

"You managed to get in didn't you!" he was annoyed at the question.

"Just checking, I didn't want to waste your time or mine."

"Discretion is my middle name, especially with strangers who just walk in off the street."

"How concerned are you with legal niceties?" she was about to sell him something stolen.

"What concerns me is the police. They ask a lot of questions." He said.

"Do you?"

"If it suits me, I make my own rules. Are you buying or selling?"

"How much for this?" she held out the ring. He took it and mumbled a few things to himself while he examined it.

"Eighty Euros?" it was probably worth more, not that Lara really cared.

"I'll take it." He went to his till and handed her eighty Euros in small bills almost anticipating that she'd prefer that. She left with her money and decided to make her way to the club. The long way around. She needed to get to the left side and going right past the policeman on the door would be stupid.

Back up the steps again and this time, down the road in the opposite direction of the café. She passed a gated area where a man stood with an oil drum against the gate. This was next to a church which appeared to be no longer in use as one. The sigh on the doors said St. Aicard's Church under that it said Anton Gris, Gym. _Church now gym, interesting_. Opposite the church building was a walled off park. Probably where Bernard, the other man Janice mentioned was. Lara peeked in to see if there was a man there. There was. He was standing next to a bench. Since Lara had gotten what she wanted so far from Pierre, she wouldn't bother with Bernard unless Pierre of course went back in their deal.

She carried on around the corner to see a man opening up his shop. It was a herbalist. He went in and Lara followed him. Inside she bought a nutrition bar and some more bandages for the first aid kit. She had a feeling that she'd need some more. She left.

She walked around the corner coming up to the other side of the club she saw a motorcycle out side a garage next door. It was the same one from outside the café earlier. She had a sudden notion that might have been ridiculous or paranoid that the stranger from the café was staring to follow her. If he'd overheard her conversation with Pierre he'd know that she was coming here.

As Lara walked closer the man appeared out of the alleyway she was heading for. He mounted his bike and took off towards and past her. As he past they made eye contact briefly. She was going to have to be very careful if he was starting to follow her, especially since she knew he was armed. But then again so was she.

Lara still had the piece she had stolen last night with a spare clip. Thought that might not be enough for her inside the club. As per Pierre's instructions she followed the alley until she found a door that said stage entrance. She took a deep breath took out the key and made her way inside Le Serpent Rouge.

_Authors note: You may notice I changed the point of time when Lara finds out about Carvier's death. I did that on purpose because it made more sense to me that she hears about it on the news herself. Also with the monstrum connection it gives the 'stranger' more reason to follow her to the club._


	8. Chapter 8: Inside Le Serpent Rouge

Chapter 8: Le Serpent Rouge.

_Everyone enjoying so far? I think after this chapter I might change the rating from K plus to T, so be warned._

…

The club was quiet but not empty; Lara would need to move quietly. Ahead of her was a long corridor that went round a corner directly to her left. She could hear footsteps to her left which sounded like someone pacing around a small room in circles. She froze when he was contacted on his radio asking for an update. He said there was nothing to report and that he was bored out of his skull waiting for something to happen to make his day more interesting. With Lara there he might just get his wish.

Lara peered down towards the room and saw that his back was to her while on the radio. She took this opportunity to move across that part of the corridor. She heard the guard started pacing around again. Down the long part of the corridor was a storeroom with no door and further down was a switch. She figured the switch would turn the lights out in the corridor and she could hide in the room and wait for him to investigate so she could incapacitate him. She hoped he wouldn't call on his radio before going too take a look as she switched the lights out and crept quickly into the storeroom.

He didn't, and came to the switch. As he passed the storeroom door Lara crept behind him and took him down silently. She dragged him back to the room he'd been pacing in which turned out to be a small office. She propped him in the chair and slumped him down on the desk. Lara searched him, taking his service weapon off him and removing the clip. It was the same type as the gun she already had and on him found a spare clip and a second gun. This gun was a desert ranger also with a spare clip, probably his own since it wasn't exactly an issued gun. She'd already stolen one. She also picked up his radio and tuned hers to the same frequency.

Leaving the guard where he was she left the room taking the keys she found in the back of the door and locking him in. There were a few keys there so they may have been for the building. Lara made her way up the corridor and up some steps at the end 'til she came to a door. She listened on the radio for a couple of minutes as far as she could tell them were at least six or seven inside possibly more. At least two of them were in the main hall.

Lara poised and armed herself. She opened the door carefully and slipped in. The door was right next to the stage and was sheltered slightly by some large crates which gave her some cover. She peeked around to see that there were definitely two guards in there. She needed to get to the stage lights which were high up and she certainly wouldn't get there unnoticed. She looked up, there were at lest two gallery levels and if the club followed the traditions then that controls for the lights would be high up either on the second gallery level or another above that which she could see part of.

One of the guards radio sounded and told him that they weren't able to contact the guard in the stage side office. The very one Lara had just incapacitated. She decided it would be a good idea to take one out at a time. One guard came towards her location, she crouched and supposed him. The sound of his surprise alerted the other who came as well. It was all going to plan until he alerted whomever it was on the other end of the monitoring to say that someone might have sneaked in.

Panicking at this point would be dangerous, so Lara waited till he was close enough and till he'd finished talking to surprise him as well. The two men were hidden behind the crates and Lara disarmed them and relieved them of their clips to add to her small arsenal. She considered taking a second weapon but in truth she had nowhere to keep it on her, she only had a limited amount of pocket space and a second gun would take up more.

Lara left her cover of the crates and ventured into her new territory, gun in hand. The sound of a door opening caused her to take cover on the stage. From her new location another two men came into the dance hall. The time for subtlety was over. On the stage was the sound system and the controls for the lighting rig which was suspended two levels up and probably not the lights she needed to get to. The news guards were getting closer and Lara threw the switches turning on the lights and blaring music before standing and taking aim at the now stunned and confused guards.

These men weren't mercenaries' that she'd often met on her previous explorations. They were guards just doing their job, but they were in her way so that though took care of any moral qualms she had about her next actions. The sound of the blaring music covered the gunshots nicely, and Lara made her way to the next level.

One guard came out of a room at to top of the stairs. A second came up behind her and she took him out as well. She jogged around the first level to the steps that went to the second. A shot rang out passed he and she ducked down behind the stairs banisters. On the second level opposite was another guard shooting at her and missing brilliantly. The man stopped and made his way to Lara's location.

Lara waited for him to get close before standing and taking him out. She crept around expecting another man to come out from another room in the opposite corner. A guard did come out and shot at her, a couple of the shots hit some of the rigging on the same level. The rigging collapsed onto the floor. The man didn't stand long under Lara's aim.

Lara got to the door he came out to and realised that there were no stairs up to the third level. She backtracked to the stairs she came up. And there was a door she hadn't noticed earlier, she tried it and it was locked. She took out the keys she'd borrowed earlier and tried a couple in the door. One worked and she made her way in and up a ladder to the control room. No one was up there but that wouldn't last for long down on the ground floor she could see some more guards making their way up. In the room were two doors, one led out to the catwalks above the gallery levels, and the other was an outside door and her way out.

Lara switched the light rig on and sure enough one of the four lights wasn't working, just as Pierre said. She moved the lights around remotely until she got the light into a maintenance box where she could get to the light. She left the room and crossed a maintenance catwalk to the light. From her vantage point she could see the guards rearranging themselves to capture the intruder. One was making his way to the control room.

She collected the box from the light and mad her way back, shooting the man who'd just come up and left by the outside door.

...

Outside she saw police cars about the club it would seem that they'd been called in response to an unknown intruder. Lara climbed down the outside step back down to the alley she was in before. She crept up to the corner and peeked round the police were every where, and she wasn't about to get passed them uncaught. She was.

"Mademoiselle?" a police man approached her from down the alley, gun drawn. She put her hands up as he as he came closer. He called for backup. She reacted by kicking the gun out of the surprised mans hands and knocked him out quickly. She ran down to the end of the alley and was trapped looking everywhere she saw a sewer entrance and went down there. She heard the police above her and made her way through the underground quickly, and got stuck in another dead end.

She looked up to see a way up to a gap in the wall above her. She climbed up and went through and walked through into a space. There was another gap which she crawled through and ended up in another abandoned section of the metro tunnels. She was in what was a public entrance and made her way through a gate and ups some steps to find herself in the park where Janice said Bernard would hang out.

The old man was there but she had no reason to talk to him and left the park. She made her way back to the café.

…

"Did you...? Everything go ok?" Pierre was acting like a nervous wreck, waiting for her.

"It's quiet in here. Your voice really carries." Lara said.

"Don't mess me about." He said back at her.

"You were right about the place being staked out. There were gunmen all over the place. No sign of the Monstrum though." She joked, harshly. She took out the box and showed it to him.

"You got it! HA!" he tried to reach for it when Lara put it behind her.

"Now, a little matter of Bouchard's whereabouts."

"Bouchard. Yes...er..." he stammered.

"You aren't going to disappoint me are you? You don't want to see my dangerous side." She glared at him.

"No. it's just that someone else was asking for him, just after you left."

"Asking for Bouchard?"

"Yes, the customer who was sat in the corner, reading his paper. I couldn't tell him anything, naturally but he may have overheard us." That confirmed it. The man had followed her to the club.

"You know, you talk real loud. It's hard not to notice it."

"OK, OK. Take it easy." Pierre had his hands up in surrender. "Are we going to deal?"

"Only if you behave."

"Alright. Bouchard is lying low. I know someone who can show you where." He said.

"You can trust them, this person you know?" she asked.

"Just about. Name of Francine. She's my ex." _A reassuring notion. _"This is her address and the code for the gate." He handed her a piece of paper.

"And she can point me to Bouchard? You're sure?"

"Oh, absolutely. She knows a discrete route to the back of the premises."

"Discrete? Translation - dangerous."

"Nothing in Paris is safe. But this route will get you where you want to go. Please. It's arranged. She's expecting you." He eyed behind Lara, wanting his box back.

"I hope this arrangement works out Pierre. I'd hate for you to become a personal problem that I have to come back and tidy up." She handed the box to him and left. She followed his noted to the right house and typed in the code. She knocked on the front door and was greeted by a woman who let her in without question.

"Come in. Pierre said to expect you." Francine said. "Bouchard is in the old church. You need to find the angel mausoleum in the churchyard. It leads down into the church basement."

"Is this the best way?"

"It's the only way past the Doorman. You can go out through there." She pointed to a door to a balcony. "Watch out for the ledges. They are dangerous."

"Where isn't these days." Lara said, and walked towards the door.

"Welcome to Paris." She heard Francine say.

…

Lara was above the graveyard, from the balcony she could see the angel statue fenced off to the rest of the churchyard. Lara walked down the balcony and climbed over the railings onto the church wall then onto a mausoleum. She climbed down to the ground and walked to the angel statue.

Lara was surprised when she heard barking behind her. She was being chase by dogs again. She acted quickly to climb another tomb. She ducked down as a man came running towards the dogs.

He was the same man who was guarding the gate next to the church and it stood to reason that he was probably the doorman she'd heard about. He told the dogs off for chasing birds again and went back to his post. The dogs followed and Lara sat up.

Opposite the tomb was another next to the fenced off area and she made a running jump to it then dropped down to the area. The angel statue was impressive, attached to it was a grave. Lara examined it, there was no indication of a entrance. Or was there? There was a section of the top of the grave that was slightly out of place. She pushed the section across to reveal that the grave was a façade. Inside was a ladder that led down into the ground.

_Authors note: I hope this was written to satisfaction. I hope the events didn't seem to pass too fast._


	9. Chapter 9: Contacts

Chapter 9: Contacts

The underground hideout was almost perfect for a man who wished to hide. The tunnels were a bit unnerving. Lara pulled out her gun for protection after all she was in a gang bosses hideout without an invitation. She followed the tunnel to a hole in a wall inside was the basement of the church based on the architecture.

She moved carefully about the crypt, she heard strange sounds coming from another room. She followed the sounds to find a man on a bed. The man looked terrible, he seemed half transformed into metal, and was clearly in a lot of pain.

Some one tapped her on the shoulder and she holstered her weapon. She turned to see two men, one man had a gun at her head.

"I'm here to see Bouchard." She said. One of the men indicated that she should follow him and she did. They lead her to another room. One of them went inside. The other stood in the doorway with Lara in front of him.

"Found an intruder Bouchard. Says she needs to see you." Lara was definitely in the right place.

"Tell her I'm busy and throw her out." A rough voice said. Lara spoke up.

"What happened to your man in the room out there Bouchard?" A large man came to them, obviously Bouchard.

"To Arnaud? You've got something to say about that?" he asked.

"Maybe." She replied. "It might be linked to what happened to a friend of mine."

"I doubt it. Get her out of here."

"Do you know the name Eckhardt?" she asked, it seemed to get a reaction out of him.

"Never heard of him." He stated.

"OK. You helped a friend of mine a while back. Werner Von Croy."

"Names don't mean a lot here. Even real ones. What did he want?" he asked her.

" Maps and information, on the Louvre." According to Werner's Journal.

"I remember. Four weeks ago. Wanted to take a coach load of Japanese tourists to see the Mona Lisa." Bouchard said sarcastically.

"Easy Bouchard." She said carefully. "I lost that friend yesterday. Now I'm wanted for his murder."

"There was a newscast about a Monstrum killing earlier. What would you know about that?"

"Nothing that would interest you." She said defensively.

"You'd be surprised how much The Monstrum interests me."

"My friend ...? The Louvre ...?" whatever was going on around here it was connected to the monstrum.

"Yes, the academic. Wanted access to recent archaeological diggings inside the Louvre." That explained why Werner contacted Carvier. "I gave him a contact. You want the same?"

"And more. I need 9mm protection, backpack, plastic explosive, stun packs. Paris isn't safe these days." She'd certainly found that out in Bouchard's club, not that she would mention it.

"Who for? You obviously can take care of yourself."

"Do you have what I need?"

"I know who does. Daniel Rennes. Works out of the pawnbrokers on the corner of Rue St. Mark and Cours la Seine." This was probably the same place she had been to earlier that day to pawn Carviers ring.

"A front, obviously."

"Yes, Rennes needs careful handling. But he can get you what you need if you know how to make the right approach." Bouchard suggested. "I have to get certain things into his hands. Passports. You could deliver them for me."

"Why not have one of your men deliver your ... passports?"

"I have no one to spare. It's a business arrangement."

"For which he would give me what I need?" she asked.

"For the right price. The passports will prove you come through me." Bouchard stated. He took them out of his jacket and passed them to Lara.

"What happened to your man in the sickroom back there? Was he delivering packages for you too?"

"Poor Arnaud. One of my toughest. The only survivor of four attacks so far." _Poor Arnaud indeed._

"Attacks? By who? The Paris Monstrum perhaps." She offered.

"Not sure, we're looking into that. You should take care."

"An automatic would help. You sold my friend Von Croy some hardware. I need the same."

"That was then. We need all the firepower we can get. Rennes is your man. He will show you out,." Bouchard indicated the man behind her. "He'llguide you up to the church. You can get out that way."

"No problem."

"Ah, but I insist. In which case ... Make sure Rennes gets that package. And be sure it is Rennes." Bouchard warned.

"Why? Who could it be?"

"I'd like to ask poor Arnaud that. But he can't talk anymore. Just take care." Bouchard left her a walked over to a chair and sat down. The man with her guided her out up some stairs which lead them up to the church turned gym. As soon as she was out the door into the church the man walked back down closing the door behind her.

…

Lara took the passports to the pawnshop she'd been to earlier. Daniel Rennes pawn shop, a front for illegal trading. As she walked in a man bumped passed her, he said nothing and continued out. She walked into the shop. The place was a mess, not simply untidy as any shop of this nature would be but the counter was now damaged and the area around in disarray. Daniel Rennes was nowhere to be seen.

Lara placed the passports on the side and went into the back room. She found what remained of Rennes on the floor. The room remind Lara of Werner's apartment from the strange writing in blood on the walls to a large symbol on the floor. The same symbol she'd seen in Werner's apartment. Had the man she'd passed..? The Monstum?

She put the thought out of her mind. Daniel Rennes was the man the Bouchard had put Werner in touch with. Werner might not have been able to collect the things he'd ordered, so they might still be there. Lara explored the room; there were plenty of things in the back room including strange holes in various walls. Lara came into a corner of shelves where some sort of explosive was set up on a chair. She really had to be careful now; the place was rigged to explode.

She stepped back out of the corner and turned to the rest of the room. On the floor ahead of her was a trapdoor. A way out? To her right was a door with a combination lock. No code suggestion anywhere. Lara turned to the dead man, she really didn't want to search his pockets, but she did. He had nothing on him but his wallet inside, was a paper with a five digit code. It was a chance that it was the right code but she tried it anyway.

It worked, the door opened automatically. Inside were weapons, equipment and papers. It would appear that Werner never collected his order. Before entering Lara looked around for a good sturdy bag to carry the things. She found one and also a phone probably ungrgistered given Rennes work. She also found a strong pair of boots her size. It was a good find; the trainers she was wearing weren't made for her kinds of adventures. She placed them next to the trapdoor. That was going to be her exit rather than the front door.

She took the bag into the secure cupboard and started to fill the bag. She collected some maps connected with the Louvre; this was definitely Werner's order. Plastic explosives, shotgun, K2 impactor taser, a pair of pistols with leg holsters; Werner obviously had her in mind when he made his order. She also picked up a silencer and laser sight. As she picked up the last item the door shut.

Lara feared she may have set of the explosives and had to get out now. She tried the door but it was locked. She pressed a button next to her and the door unlocked and she could hear beeping of a timer going. She raced to the trapdoor with the bag in her hand, opened it and dropped down grabbing the boots she'd selected and ran for her life down the tunnel and dropped down again into some more tunnels that looked like water tunnels she heard the explosion behind her and she kept running.

She could hear and feel the flames of the explosion coming up behind her and she could now see the end of the tunnel. As she got there she saw that she was right next to the river. As the flames caught up with her she made a jump for it hoping to get out of the way dropping the boots and the bag on the riverside. She landed in a long boat moored up to the riverside. She felt safe, at least until she realised her jacket was on fire and made a quick dive into the river.

She climbed out on the water onto the boat. She rested for a few moments to catch her breath. She stood up and went to collect the bag and boots. She was about to leave when she decided to use the boat, and stayed on the boat. She went into the cabin which was more or less empty and like a lot of things in the area looked abandoned.

Lara looked at her watch; it was twenty past two in the afternoon. A good day all things considering. Lara took off her burned jacket, sat down and examined the maps she'd collected from the shop before it exploded. There were three maps in total one of the Louvre which included the vents, it wasn't a tourist map. The second was of the storm drains beneath the Louvre, and the third was the Parisian sewer system around the Louvre. All three connected together a covert way into the Louvre. What was it she was looking for in the Louvre?

There was a radio on the boat she switched it on and listened.

The latest victims of the Paris 'Monstrum' were discovered yesterday. The bodies of Professor Werner Von Croy and Professor Margot Carvier were found in their respected apartments. In both cases a woman was seen leaving the building under suspicious circumstances. She is described as Caucasian, brunette, about 1.8m and slim build. When last seen she was wearing jeans, dark jacket and a pony tail. The police have identified the woman as Lara Croft and are anxious to interview her since she evaded police custody.

Lara had expected this sooner or later. She looked over the maps. She would need some help but who could she contact without raising suspicion on some one else. The British authorities would by now know about this… and so would Winston.

Winston. He would be worried about her. What would he think? She wouldn't be able to ask him for help. She could have gone to Hillary if he wasn't currently at her home. There had to be someone else she could contact who could help her.

She was thinking of Von Croy when it hit her. A couple of years ago she'd had to break into one of Von Croys facilities. She'd enlisted the help of a computer specialist called Zip. She could do with an external guide for her journey through the sewers and the Louvre. Last she'd heard of Zip he was working in London. She called him.

"Hey there, Zip here." She heard a friendly voice at last.

"Zip… its Lara" she heard something drop in the floor on Zips end of the line.

"Are you crazy calling me?" he said at first. "Sorry Lara, you ok? What's going on?"

"Zip I'll explain when you get to Paris." She said. "I need your help." There was a long pause.

"Lara… what do you need? And why?" It was an honest question.

"Zip I can't explain on the phone, you're the only person I can contact without putting you in danger and I need a similar favour as before."

"What building are you thinking of breaking into?" Zip sounded worried and intrigued at the same time, but at least he knew what she wanted.

"I'll tell you when you get here" Lara replied." Bring your equipment and could you drop in on Winston and ask him for a couple of changes of clothes for me. I can't get back to my hotel room and I can be identified in my current clothes. I need you here today."

There was a second long pause, she heard him take some deep breaths.

"Where?"

Lara gave him the details of where she would wait for him and hung up at best he could get here in at least five or six hours if he got there fast.

Lara in the meantime took the boat down the river to the destination of entry into the sewers to get into the Louvre. She got there in good time and got some sleep.

…

Zip arrived at the water side, five and a half hours later and waited. He was called.

"Hi"

"Lara, can you see a small boat like a cargo carrier?" he looked around.

"Yup, you there?" he asked.

"Yes, come in."

Zip got to the boat as Lara came out of the cabin. She looked terrible. He tossed her a small bag which had some clothes in. and Lara disappeared back into the cabin. She emerged a few minutes later in a black shirt and combat trousers.

"Got your equipment?"

"Sure, where are we going?" he asked. She looked up at him and sighed. "Lara you said you'd explain."

"Give me a sec." she went back into the cabin and brought out two bags and a pair of trainers that had seen better days. Zip guided her to his van watching her chuck the trainers into a bin. They got in the back and sat down. Lara handed him the maps.

"I need you to guide me through here." Zip took a look. Sewers, storm drains leading to the Louvre. The Louvre? _Oh hell._

"Lara why am I helping you break into the Louvre" Zip smiled to hide his complete disbelief.

"It's connected to the reason Werner was killed, and even if he wasn't he wanted me to do this anyway."

"So you didn't kill him?" Zip said. "That's good."

"I don't know" Lara replied. Zip looked at her, her words weren't exactly comforting.

"So why are you breaking in?" Zip said changing the subject.

"Werner was commissioned to research something called the Obscura paintings. He got hold of some encrypted maps and one of them leads to a painting that is in a chamber beneath the Louvre." Lara told him. She'd been reading up in Von Croy's notebook and had worked out what she was supposed to be doing. "Recently they were doing some digs and have discovered that there is indeed archaeology down there."

"So let me get this straight. You're breaking into the Louvre so you can steal a painting that's buried underneath it, but not in it?" Zip was clearly confused.

"Essentially, yes. But the painting doesn't belong to the Louvre gallery so technically I will be retrieving it not stealing." She replied.

"And you need my help to get in"

"Yes. I can't keep pulling the maps out of my pocket." She said frankly. Zip turned to his mobile setup in the van then passed her an earpiece. A waterproof one. He switched his equipment on and tested it.

"Oh, Winston put a couple of other things in the bag." Lara picked the bag up to check. Inside with her clothes were also her clip on torch and he compass. _How thoughtful. _Lara took them out and got herself ready and armed.

"When you saw Winston, how was he?" she asked.

"Worried." Zip replied. "Not surprising really. Ah." He turned to Lara. "Found the maps by their code on the system. They look the same but I'll keep these paper ones up just in case. You ready?"

"As I'll ever be" Lara said. "We're right here." She pointed at the map I'll be going into the sewers at that point. I'll tell you when I'm in." Zip smiled at her as she left the van. Mad. She defiantly was, especially to do something this crazy.

_Authors note: Zip is in to add to the story a bit, for those who don't like that character I promise he won't be here forever. Besides I figured Lara could use a good friend about now, at least to help her break in, breaking out? Well you'll find out later. Review and tell me what you think._


	10. Chapter 10: Parallel Events

Chapter 10: Parallel Events

He'd first seen her in the café, this British woman. She'd been polite in the obvious mannerisms expected though often forgotten by British people on vacation. Kurtis was quite content to accept her politeness and forget it, had she not mentioned a person of his interest to the bartender.

Bouchard.

According to his information Bouchard was connected either directly or indirectly with the man who was his ultimate target. Eckhardt. The murderer of his father. His journey to find this man had been difficult especially now that Eckhardt had now hired the discreet services of the French foreign legion. Worse, the man leading that group was his former commanding officer who had been forced to have Kurtis removed from his squad due to unexplainable events. Events that had proven to Kurtis that no matter how far he went to be out of the war of shadows, the shadows would always find him.

The mention of Bouchard by this lady had pricked his ears just enough. He too had asked around for Bouchard but it would seem that this woman would get to there before him. He decided to wait and them follow her to Bouchard's location, but a deal had been struck. Bouchard'swhereabouts for some box the dumb bartender wanted back from the club he used to work at.

The mention of the monsrtum had also gotten his attention. Was this woman looking for this killer? Maybe.

She'd turned up the radio while the bartender went to get some key for her and while she drank her coffee. He stole a couple of looks at her, wondering if she might get in his way later. She was about 5'8'', 5'9'' he estimated, brown hair and dark eyes, not a bad looking woman. Although her clothes told a different story, it looked like she'd slept in them. One of her sleeves was torn and the way her jacket bunches up on one side, she was packing something. Well, she did say she was a dangerous girl.

The radio broadcast had more unfortunate news.

"NEWSFLASH - The Monstrum has struck again. This time the victim was a Professor Margot Carvier of the department of Medieval and Renaissance Studies at the Louvre." Kurtis noticed a reaction from the woman, shock. Maybe she knew this Carvier.

"Her body was discovered yesterday and police want to interview a woman seen leaving the premises around the time of the murder. She is described as Caucasian, brunette, about 1.8m and slim build. When last seen she was wearing jeans, dark jacket and a pony tail." He looked intently at this woman across the café, the same description. She had to be connected. His former plan had gone out the window. He was going to let her make contact with Bouchard.

"This follows the similar murder of Professor Werner Von Croy a world renowned archaeologist murdered earlier that evening in his apartment where a woman of the same description was also seen leaving." Two places, two victims of the monstrum, he was defiantly going to keep an eye on her movements, discreetly of course.

The woman retrieved the key from the bartender and left quickly. She seemed to avoid looking around; probably knowing he'd identified her as the woman from the news. Kurtis got up and walked over to the bartender and asked his own questions regarding Bouchard. The man was 'unable' to tell him anything. Kurtis decided not to push him, the woman would do the leg work to get to Bouchard and he'd wait till the right moment to intervene.

…

He got to the club after he'd gotten an idea of getting the box so he could get to Bouchard himself, trading the box as she had arranged. He got to the stage entrance where she was going and turned the handle of the door. Locked? How? This was where she was going. She'd need the key to get in yes but she wouldn't lock it behind her. Would she? If she hadn't been here yet he couldn't risk being seen by her just in case she got suspicious.

He returned to his bike and let it rip. Damn. Ahead of him was the person he wanted to avoid right now. She was walking towards the club and she had seen him. No sense in hanging around for trouble, he decided to go back to the former plan and let her make her own trouble inside.

It wasn't long before she did. A police back up arrived about thirty minutes later. Kurtis had taken up a watch inside one of the abandoned apartment blocks opposite the club and waited to her to exit. When she finally did, to his surprise from the top floor exit, she climbed down, almost got arrested and fled thought an old sewer access. He had now lost her and his way to Bouchard.

…

A good two hours later he returned to the area following a new tip. The pawnbrokers, owned by a Daniel Rennes, was apparently a front for black market trading and the tip also suggested that Rennes also had contact with Bouchard. Kurtis' intent was to have a chat with this man but the woman he'd seen, and lost, entered the shop. He'd wait till she came out.

But someone else did. Eckhardt.

As much as he wanted to he couldn't risk a confrontation, and certainly not without something vital which Eckhardt himself had hidden. Without that one thing it was useless and pointless to face Eckhardt. Kurtis let him go. But with Eckhardt here the woman's contact with Rennes was no more. His tip giver told him that Rennes was a bit of a paranoid freak. There was a rumour that his shop was rigged to explode if he didn't input a code into his explosive setup every few hours. Or if someone tried to take any of his secure things without deactivating the trigger for the bomb. There was also rumour that Rennes had an emergency exit that came out to the river.

He went to the river opposite the most probable location and waited.

If the woman was half as clever as she appeared then she wouldn't come out through the front to be identified by some passer by, she'd come out from the exit if she found it.

Once he'd never been interested in patience, recently he had found the value of waiting. It wasn't long before it paid off. A sharp glow across the river caught his attention and he saw the woman running for her life from advancing fire. As she came to the exit she took a jump, landing in a boat parked in front of the tunnel exit. Though she landed safely she was on fire, literally. Upon this realisation she took a sloppy dive into the river and emerged a few seconds later.

Kurtis watched, and took himself to his parked bike waiting for her next move which was her using the boat and going down river to a junkyard place near the Louvre. If she was planning to go there he was in trouble. He'd been planning a little incursion there for the following night but it would appear that he now had a rival for the target. A real rival this time, she' not only survived Bouchard and Rennes booby trap but had also evaded the police and raided a club without getting killed. A worthy opponent and worth studying. Since she was sure to be going into the Louvre he had no problem leaving, he knew where she would be later. He stopped in a bar for a drink before preparing for his incursion; the radio there finally had a name for their suspect:

"The latest victims of the Paris 'Monstrum' were discovered yesterday. The bodies of Professor Werner Von Croy and Professor Margot Carvier were found in their respected apartments. In both cases a woman was seen leaving the building under suspicious circumstances. She is described as Caucasian, brunette, about 1.8m and slim build. When last seen she was wearing jeans, dark jacket and a pony tail. The police have identified the woman as Lara Croft and are anxious to interview her since she evaded police custody."

Now he knew his rivals name.

…

_Somewhere in Paris_

The large circular room was devoid of unnecessary décor. The gothic architecture presented a perfect setting for this meeting. Three out of the four present were seated at a circular table the fourth stood can was circling the room. As he walked he was rubbing his hands.

"Esteemed Cabal members the hour of your reward grows ever closer. As you know we already possess three of the Obscura Paintings. Our contact Professor Von Croy located the fourth one for us here in Paris." The man pointed out details of their research to the other two men and woman who sat and stared intently at him.

"When we have this we will reassemble in Prague. It is time to awaken THE SLEEPER." Everything was going according to plan.

"Hopefully we will be more successful this time. We are also closer to the fifth and last Obscura Painting in Prague." He looked at the younger of the two seated men. "Go to Germany and remove all the necessary documents for transport to Prague." The younger man nodded.

"We will gather at the Strahov." They were all in agreement. "Gunderson" Another man entered from the shadows of the room and responded in a military manner.

"Master Eckhardt."

"Dispatch your team for the fourth painting." Eckhardt ordered and placed his hand on Gunderson's shoulder.

"Immediately!" he replied.

_Authors note: I thought it was about time to introduce Kurtis appropriately, I hope I did well. Has anyone else wondered how Kurtis found out Lara's name? You may notice I also added a mention of Germany. That's because there was supposed to be a section where Lara goes to Germany to the castle where Eckhardt lived/was imprisoned. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas on what could happen there I'm all ears (eyes). I know that a couple of levels of Germany ended up as the couple of levels before the last one (Eckhardts lab and Lost Domain) so I may do a bit of adjusting there._


	11. Chapter 11: Accessing the Louvre

_I hope you haven't been waiting too long for the next chapter and here it is. I've been writing a project proposal for my final major project for my art course so the next couple of chapters will be slow coming, just so you know. Be patient with me. I can only type so fast._

_Just as I finished typing up this chapter I found details relating to the scrap yard level that was set between the pawnshop level and the storm drain level and subsequently not used in the game, so that's not going to be in here since I didn't know till after I finished writing this._

Chapter 11: Accessing the Louvre

Lara opened the last hatch she needed to open in order to access the storm drains. Zip had been able to guide her well through the sewers of Paris which was simple enough; the sewers followed more or less the same map as the streets above her. The storm drains however were a different matter.

According to Zip, she was now directly under the grounds of the Old Palace; the Louvre. The maps she had given him weren't very clear, so Zip had resorted to hacking into some archives to find out more. He finished plotting a route to the best weak point between the storm drains and the museum basements. Here was an oil processor where Lara could use the explosives she collected and blow a hole though.

Lara slid down the hatch to her new destination in the storm drains. After getting down she was alarmed by a rat which she promptly shot.

"Lara! What was that?" Zip had heard her.

"A rat." she replied. Zip muttered under his breath something about the poor unfortunate creature.

"OK. There should be a tunnel to you right and from there you'll need to go up but before you do that the water will need to be stopped."

Lara turned, ahead of her as Zip said was a torrent of water pouring down. As she came to the open space above her were catwalks and not all of them intact. There were also three other tunnels that lead off from the area.

"Zip, how do I stop the water?"

"Gimme a sec." he replied. "Damn."

"What's happened Zip?" Lara asked quickly. She was worried that Zip was in trouble.

"Nothing I got the stuff about the waterworks and it all in French."

"Didn't you do French at school." Lara said, finding this slightly amusing.

"Well yeah, but I didn't think I'd ever need it." Lara was smiling." Anyway I got the computer translating it."

Lara waited for a few moments.

"Alright, you need to turn off six stops; they're all close by and accessible to you." Lara sighed. Zip wasn't down here to see the accessibility, or rather lack thereof.

"Where's the first one?"

"You still in the room with all the water?"

"Yes Zip, I haven't gone anywhere."

"First one's in there."

Lara moved around the room until she spotted a valve in an inset. It was very stiff. She finally managed to turn it off. Zip directed her to another one in one of the other tunnels and up into an adjacent room. Along the way she met and disposed of a couple more rats. Two valves down, four to go.

"The next one is on the first maintenance level catwalk." Zip told her. Lara retuned to the room and looked around for a ladder. No ladder. No ladder? She spotted a pipe attached to the wall that extended to the first level. It looked strong enough to hold her weight and it metal with metal fixtures so should be sturdy. She climbed to first level.

Walking around the first level was a bit precarious. It was quite possible that that no one had been down here for years. The catwalk was rusty and looking up to the next level parts of it were missing. She located the valve and turned that.

"Done?" Zip asked. He didn't wait for a response since he could hear everything from Lara's location. "The next one's directly above you."

Lara looked up. She could see the next one through the grating of the catwalk above her. But how to get there? There was no ladder up on this side with part of the first level missing. There was a ladder up on the other side. The only way was to cross a metal beam that went to the opposite side since the catwalk no longer went all the way around. Due to collapse of part of it the walk was now in two parts. Crossing the beam would mean getting soaked by the downpour and the beam went straight through. She braced herself and walked through it quickly.

The weight of the water almost caused her to loose balance and fall and she was now soaked though. Lara came to a ladder that was built directly into the wall, a couple of the rungs were missing but that didn't stop her from using it. She crossed another beam that took her to the next valve above the previous one. As she crossed the beam she was sprayed by water from the flow next to her. She came to the next valve and turned it. There was a deep gurgling sound from below her.

"Zip what was that?"

"You've stopped the water below and its filling. You can go down and across to another section now and switch off the last two valves to stop it completely."

"How far?" Lara asked, referring to the underwater journey she was about to take.

"About 12 metres. Although that would depend on how high the water is in the next section. Think you can make it?"

"I'll make it." Lara said as she made her way back down.

"Hey Lara, what happened in Egypt?" Zip asked. He regretted it the minute has said it just in case he offended her. Lara was about to admonish him for it but though no. Zip was a friend with concern for her.

"I don't want to talk about it she said gently. Zip decided he wasn't going to ask again.

Once at the bottom Lara saw that where the water was falling it had now filled and the room was gradually flooding. She waded out to the middle and dived down. She followed the pipe 'till she came to another room and swam up. She was almost out of breath when she surfaced. _More than 12 metres Zip_ she thought.

She was now in a room similar to the one before which she presumably had just flooded by turning off the valves. Like the former room the catwalks in here weren't in good condition either. She swam to one that had partially collapsed into the water but was still joined to the rest on the wall. She used it to climb up onto the catwalk.

Zip informed her that the last two valves were situated in the same way and the two in the other room. Lara turned the first one off and climbed a second ladder with missing rungs to turn off the last one.

"OK, according to this the water should have stopped flowing. You'll need to go back then up to the top."

Lara was about to take a swan dive off when she spotted a door on further around the room. It was cut off by missing catwalk but not too far for Lara to jump across.

"Zip there's a door here where does it go?" She could hear Zip clicking away in the background. "Zip?"

"Er… that door's not on my map."

"Could it lead back to the other room?"

"Maybe, did you see a door there?"

"I may have missed it. I'll go though and find out" Lara replied while positioning herself for a jump across. She made it safely but was alerted by some creaking. She wasn't going to risk being stupid and trying to jump across again if the door didn't lead her where she wanted to go.

Fortunately I did. She ended up back in the other room. Below her, she could see that the water level had risen more.

"Zip, how recent are those maps?"

"The underground ones are old. The Louvre ones are from seven months ago according to the dates he answered. "They should be fine."

Lara smiled, he could see it though.

Now that the water had stopped Lara could see into the pipe where it was coming from and inside there was a gate. The angle of the pipe was such that it directed the water into Lara's location. She needed to go through the gate. She got there and found it wasn't locked. As she passed through the gate she could smell some thing, something that wasn't right but she couldn't put her finger on what it was.

On the other side of the pipe was a large rectangular room with a pool at the bottom. The pool was surrounded by solid and metal walks. At one end of the room were two tanks one higher than the other on a platform. There was no ladder down so she had to drop carefully.

_Oil._

It was oil she could smell. The plan to get into the Louvre was to blow up a tank attached to the wall between the storm drains and the museum basements. Lara crouched and touched the water it was coved with a thin film of oil. Any explosion would set fire to the whole room.

"Zip I smell oil." Lara said. "Where am I supposed to put the explosives?"

"There should be a choice of two tanks you can… wait you smell oil" Zip exclaimed, suddenly alarmed. "Lara you can't set the explosives in there you'd never survive!"

Lara ignored him.

"Lara?"

Lara placed the explosives on one of the tanks. The plan now was to set it and dive into the water, only the surface would burn. Under the water were two large pipes, hopefully they would lead to an opening at the top of the room, level with the entrance she had used to get in.

"Lara, what are you doing?" Zips voice was still ringing in her ear and she continued to ignore him. She set the timer and back-flipped into the water. Five seconds later, a sounding explosion occurred. Right on time.

"LARA!" Zip had obviously heard the explosion, even through the water.

Just as Lara predicted the surface was on fire. She proceeded to swim through one of the pipes which did in fact lead her to the opening above where she was able to view the effects of her handiwork. It was a fascinating view, if dangerous. The room was now very hot almost like an oven. Lara took her time to cross the room in the hopes that it would dry her off.

"Lara!"

"Yes Zip?" she replied at last and as innocently as possible.

"Lara. You've done some crazy stunts before with me talking down your ear but please never do that again."

"I'm safe Zip. No problem."

"You in?" he asked.

"I'm in." she replied as she went through the hole in the wall and into the Louvre basements. "Though I think I'll be taking another way out, don't you?"

"I'll look for one while you're busy. Going to the dig now?"

"Not yet I'll need to get to Carviers office first. She's got an all access pass and maps of the dig so far."

"No problem."

Lara walked away from her piece of devastation and made her way to the door that would take her out of the basement and into the galleries.

_Authors note: Obviously I've shortened the sequence for the purposes of story telling, I hope it's to everyone's satisfaction. At the moment I'm writing the next chapter about the galleries I don't know if it will be one chapter or whether I'll split it into two but I would like to ask. For those of you who are familiar with the game and with the beta version (probable intended version.) Should I write the post archaeological dig chapters {Tomb of ancients, Hall of seasons and the other associated levels} Game or Beta?_

_By the by I'd like to know this before I write them._


	12. Chapter 12: The Louvre: Part 1

Chapter 12: The Louvre

_Authors note: For those of you who are a bit confused, I know Zip wasn't in the actual game but Lara does already know him from chronicles (TR5). I added him so it wouldn't be too much 'she did this then she did that' and I've tried to keep the dialogue as appropriate as possible. He did pretty much help her invade Von Croy Industries building in that game (TR5) and so the same happens here. I hope you don't mind. For obvious reasons some details will be different. In the story thing in italics are Lara's thoughts._

The Louvre: Part 1: Through the Galleries

Lara ascended the polished stairs of the Louvre, leaving the basement behind. The task in mind now was to get into the dig, but to get inside she'd need a pass. Werner's diary mentioned that Carviers had a pass in her office so before going to the dig Lara would go to Carviers office first.

She travelled up the staircase to the first floor, since she was coming up from the basement little security was needed here. No one was ever going to attack from the basement; at least in theory. As Lara ascended she knew that the likely hood of meeting security was increasing. No wanting to doo too much damage to the gallery she armed herself with the K2 impacter tazer gun. No bullets, no mess, just a lot of unconscious guards tonight.

"This makes the second time I've helped you invade a secure building." Zip said. "I thought your area was more ancient dusty places in remote locations."

"Well, at least it's clean in here." Lara observed.

Zip laughed, "Lara, only you would say that!"

"Like you said the places I usually go are ancient and dusty. This makes a nice change, though I suspect it won't las…"

Lara stopped talking when she heard footsteps coming from ahead of her. She peered around the corner and saw her first obstacle. The man never stood a chance as he collapsed silently on the stairs, another advantage to this weapon. It was virtually quiet.

She continued up, knocking out another along the way till she came to the top and walked into gallery space inside. Zip had told her to expect a range of security devices including lasers and motion sensor cameras. This gallery was protected by lasers, not lethal but would trigger the room in to a trap if any were crossed, holding her inside. They weren't exactly concealed; she could see them across the room.

She took her time, rushing through this could mean that she'd end up with her own personal gaol cell right there in the gallery. She managed to get to the other side of the room without setting anything off. Lara traversed the room without setting anything off and let out a breath when she reaches the door. She was informed by zip that the next area would have a bit of everything. Lasers, camera and at least one guard. Lara went through the door as quiet as possible.

Ahead of her were outside window and a guard patrolling outside, he didn't see her. Lasers covered an archway and more extended across the hall. She crawled beneath the first set and crept round the hall so not to alert the guard inside. She saw him standing at the door to another gallery. Lara would never get past him without being seen, but at this pint she was barred from moving towards him by more lasers. She took aim through them and disabled the man.

Lara stood with her back to the wall and slid past the lasers. She walked to the unconscious guard and shifted him into the shadows in case the one patrolling outside saw him. She also rifled through his pockets and removed a low access security pass.

Lara continued down to the end part of the hall. The door to a third galley was guarded by a motion sensor camera. The sensor part was evident by a red light that moved with the camera. Lara timed herself to move behind it to get to the door. She watched, waited and moved.

It was locked.

Lara tried the pass in a card reading mechanism but that didn't work either. She probably needed one with a higher clearance. And with the way to carviers office blocked in this manner she needed an alternative route.

"Zip, I can't go through the door." She whispered.

Zip heard and looked at his map. There was only one way to the office. Or was there? He'd helped Croft through another building via the ventilation, and found a path. It would take a lot longer to get in this way but considering the alternative, which was Lara setting off all the alarms, it was the only other way to get there.

"Lara go to the gallery that last guard was in front of."

"Why?" Lara said timing herself past the camera again.

"You're going on a tour of the Louvre ventilation."

Lara stepped over the unconscious guard again and used his card to get into the room. There was a short passage which led to a large gallery space. Inside was another guard patrolling, he had his back to her and so didn't notice as she aimed and fired at him, collapsing him to the floor.

Zip had sent her in here because there was an access to the vents which she saw above a glass enclosed painting. The painting was protected by its own personal laser grid. _A valuable painting_. Next to it was a card slot and given that she'd already used her card to get into the room it was probably for the laser grid. The card switched lasers off and Lara waited. About 30 seconds later they came back on. She used the card again and ran to the case, climbed it, pulled open the vent cover and crawled inside. The laser grid reactivated behind her.

Zip guided her though the vents. Lara was quite surprised to find them to be quite large certainly enough for her to crawl through. The crawlspace extended to an area where she was able to stand almost upright. There was a ladder which suggested that the vents were designed for people to enter. She ascended the ladder which came to an exit point, and the exit had a guard in front of it.

The guard moved and so did she. Lara kicked down the vent cover, gun drawn and proceeded to accost the guard before he could alert anyone. She placed him inside the vent opening and closed it up as not to attract any attention. Al though it wouldn't be too long until security was properly aware of her presence.

She was outside in a courtyard area. In front of her was a glass dome which was the roof to a large gallery space below. To either side were two long domed glass roofs each separated from Lara by a fence with doors. One side had a ladder to the roof which was where she needed to go to re-enter the Louvre and to get to Carviers office.

She headed for the ladder getting to the door that was in her way. _Locked_. The longer she stayed out here the more chance she had of being spotted through the windows. The locked door wasn't going to stop her. She tried the gate on the other side, this one wasn't unlocked but there was no ladder. There was however an pipe that was attached to the wall which rose up to a couple of window ledges that she could use to climb to the roof.

She climbed the first ledge and side stepped across past an open window.

"Hey you!"

She had been caught.

A gourd had unfortunately been patrolling the window as she passed in front of it. The man held a taser of his own at her and ordered her to enter inside. She stepped down from the ledge calmly. The man reached for his radio. She watched as his eyes diverted from her to the device and swiftly kicked the hand that held it. At the same time she received a few volts from his weapon. It hadn't been in contact with her directly, so it didn't incapacitate her. She froze in pain for a second but not too long to see the guard make a dive for his radio before she armed herself and returned to him the favour he bestowed upon her. Lots of volts in exchange for a few.

"Breath Lara." she said to herself holding her side where the pain was.

"You ok Lara?"

"Yes I'm fine Zip. I'm nearly there." She replied as she made her way out of the window to climb to the roof.

Once on the roof there was a walkway that brought her to the place she wanted to be, above the ladder she couldn't get to before. In front of her was a caged area that had inside another entrance to the ventilation. The cage was padlocked but not inaccessible since Lara climbed over the fencing without a second thought and returned inside the building.

The directions Zip gave Lara led her to a small storeroom in the same corridor as Carviers office. Lara dropped into the room from above landing safely on the floor. She ducked down as a shadow passed over the window in the door. There was a guard in the corridor.

Lara waited. The shadow passed back the other way and she carefully opened the door. The man hadn't heard her. She drew he gun and fired at him. He grunted in quiet surprise as he landed. She made her way to him and dragged him back to the storeroom out of sight. There were four other doors. The one at the end nearest the small room was the way back to the galleries and needed a pass, but not the one she stole earlier. The one opposite down the hall was Carviers office and that had a key pad.

There were two other doors in the direction of the office. She peeked through the window of the first one. No one was in it so it was safe to enter. Inside she saw what appeared to be various forms of equipment for authentication. There was a radiation hazard sign at the end of the room; behind glass doors was an x-ray machine. Lara remembered that Werner's diary mentioned negotiating with Carvier for the use of some equipment. In each Obscura painting was a metallic symbol and an x-ray machine could reveal it. Lara made an educated guess that this was the other reason Werner wanted Carvier's help.

Lara left the room she would come back here later. She passed a cabinet of respirators on the ay our. _Respirators, for chemicals?_

She proceeded down the corridor to the other room. Looking though the window it appeared to be computer archives. On the other side of the room was a security office where a guard was. The man was clearly bored as he was circling the room not looking at the screens. Lara had noticed a camera focused in the corridor. The man clearly hadn't been paying attention since he'd obviously not seen her incapacitate his colleague who was unconscious in the store room.

She waited until his back was turned and crept in she moved through the dark room slowly and accidentally activated a motion sensor that opened the glass doors that had been separating her and the guard. The opening door alerted him to her presence. He of course was unconscious before he could do any alerting of his own.

It was certainly a security office though she couldn't say the same for the guard. The camera in hall had caught her in the act of incapacitating the guard in the corridor. One of the other cameras was fixed on a stairwell. _The one that led back to the galleries?_ Another was fixed in a gallery which was inhabited by a man passing the room. The last camera was to an office. No doubt that it was Carviers. Lara took a close look through the camera and on the professor's desk was a message… for Werner with five numbers written beneath, carefully placed for the camera to see and judging by the angle it would not be seen via the door.

Her mind was buzzing. Werner had clearly wanted her to infiltrate the Louvre more or less by the route she had taken. She was supposed to get into the office in order to find Carvier's pass so she could get into the dig. It would seem to her that Werner had made an agreement with Carvier to allow Lara to enter the office illicitly. If that was the case, then it would make sense for Carvier to leave the code for the office in sight of the camera, but not of the door. So it would appear to simply be to the unknowing person, just a name and five numbers which could mean anything.

Lara memorised the numbers and left the security monitors. She came to the office and typed in the code.

The door unlocked.


	13. Chapter 13: The Louvre: Part 2

Chapter 13: The Louvre

_Authors note: This was originally one chapter incorporating both the galleries and the dig but it was so long I split into two this part starts inside Carvier's office._

The Louvre: Part 2: To the Dig.

"Madame keeps a tidy office." Lara commented on the almost perfectly arranged room. It was quite a contrast to some of Lara's associates.

"You're not comparing her to me are you?" Zip asked.

"Of course not. Compared to this yours is a brilliant example of organised chaos at its best."

"Huh?"

Lara looked around the office. There were various things on display, documents and the like. Bit and pieces about the Obscura paintings, and the artist. Lara took out Werner's note book and wrote this all down.

'he Obscura paintings were five images painted on thick wooden bases, _Like Russian icons?_ They were created by Black Alchemist Peter Van Eckhardt in the 13 or 1400's. _Eckhardt? _Together the five paintings hide something called the Sanglyph or The Blood Sign. The Lux Veritatis seized the Paintings from Eckhardt and painted over with religious imagery. Each Painting has a metallic symbol of power built into it. _Knew that already._ Brother Obscura was the artist who painted over the original images. He was ordered to disguise the Paintings with religious imagery. The Paintings were hidden, but he made secret copies of them, sketches, and hid them too. These copies became known as Obscura Engravings. These Engravings contain encrypted maps of a Painting secret location. Probably why they wanted Werner, he was deciphering the engravings.

The man who had commissioned Werner had the same last name as the Black Alchemist, _descendent maybe?_

Lara flicked back through Werner's notes; according to the diary he had only four of the five engravings. The fifth was in the hands of a Mathias Vasiley in Prague.

She searched Carvier's desk a hand drawn map of the dig with a notation of how to get there. She relayed this to Zip. She also found Carvier's Pass, a high security all access pass. Just what she needed.

Lara exited the office and went down the hall to the other door. The newly aquired pass granted her access to the stairwell she had seen in the cameras. She descended down the metals stairs which echoed her every step all the way down. So much for silence. She came to a small room which had two doors.

"Zip, left or right?"

"Right"

The door led to the gallery she couldn't enter before. She drew her weapon and fired at the unsuspecting guard inside. She crossed the gallery and used the pass to get out.

She found herself once again under the moving camera. What she hadn't noticed before was a door behind some pillars opposite the gallery she had just exited. According to the hand drawn map this was the way to the dig. Lara waited for the right moment and crossed the hall and used Carvier's pass to go thought the door.

Lara followed the hallway down another set of stairs she pulled out her gun in case she mat anyone along the way. She did as she passed an exhibition hall. A guard inside exclaimed at her presence there and was subsequently silenced by her. She continued down. She came to another area similar to the basements she came through originally. This led to an area with large blue metal doors. The dig.

Lara opened the heavy doors and went inside. She was met with the sigh of a very large excavation much larger than she had anticipated. There were wire fences that surrounded a huge pit. Also two trailers and a tent set up beside one of them. Between them was another metal door.

As she walked around the dig she saw inside the pit something familiar. About halfway down the pit was something circular set into the wall which was slowly spinning. She had seen it before. There was a sketch in Werner's notebook about this.

"What's there? What'd you see?"

"The dig" Lara replied to Zip. "It's revealed some sort of entrance I image to something beneath the Louvre. Halfway down there's something that looks like a giant combination lock, I'd say it's about… ten maybe twelve feet in diameter."

Zip whistled. "That's big. So the paintings inside there like an ancient safe?"

"Something like that, although I don't think it's simply a safe. There's probably a whole network of chambers down there. An underground temple or at least something along those lines"

"Are you tying to tell me that the Louvre was built over another underground building and no one knew?" Lara could tell that Zip was finding it hard to believe. Clearly he was under the impression she was simply going to unbury something rather than explore some ancient place. "Lara what is this place?"

Lara had a couple of ideas though she wasn't going to share them just yet. She looked iin the notebook and found sketch of the circular devise. Based on the drawing she ventured a guess that it was done by Carvier rather than Werner. It was clear that he'd not been down here although he had made some notations on the sketch and had worked out two of the symbols she would need and where they went. There was a note scrawled next to it.

'The two missing symbols are hidden close by the buttress.'

She was about to confirm to Zip that it was a giant combination lock when a shot rang out to her right.

"What the hell was that!?"

"I've just been seen" Lara hissed as she armed herself, this time with her pistols to equal the man who just shot at her. The man tried to back into the trailer that he'd obviously come from but didn't make it.

"Damn. You think there's anyone else?"

"I'll have a look around."

There was one other guard who came out from that tent and she could here someone on his radio. Someone was below in the pit. She ignored him and had a look at the scanners under the tent. There were various surveys that didn't seem to make much sense one of them revealed an image that looked like a target symbol.

Lara went into the adjacent trailer and found a printout of the same symbol. She drew it into the notebook and found more things to peak her interest. There was stuff about the Nephilim. Something that was also in Werner's notebook.' The Nephilim were the hybrid offspring of angels and humans. They were thoughts to be able to change their physical appearance and flourished in Turkey in early biblical times.'

Lara wasn't sure what the Nephilim had to do with the paintings but it certainly connect with what was going on. She needed to find one more symbol then she'd go down and try the wheel.

She drew her gun as she left the trailer and saw a guard standing over the other on the ground. He looked up to see he aim and fire at him. She took up her other pistol and look about for anyone else. There was no one down in the pit anymore, probably the man she just shot.

Lara turned to the metal door between the trailers wondering whether or not anyone was inside, waiting. She entered to find it to be a room currently having the ground scanned. The machine was still and connected to a printer. There was a light flashing. Something was ready to be printed. Lara switched it on and it printed out another symbol.

Four symbols. Could she now open the lock?

Lara returned to the dig and went directly to the pit moving around the fencing till she found a way in. there seemed to be an alternative way by crossing onto a bridge like construction but it was locked. There was however a gap in the fencing around the edge of the pit that allowed to the scaffolding. The scaffolding was a bit of a maze of boards and ladders, she was however able to get close to the wheel. She jumped from one set of scaffolding to the one up to the wheel which saved having to go all the way to the bottom just to go back up to the same level.

She finally got to the wheel and examined it. There was a handle which turned the dials and some sort of locking system. So she could stop turning certain wheels? There appeared to be no method locking here. She followed the scaffolding around to find four levers, as a test she pulled one and went back to the wheel. The order of the locking was obvious and she pulled the lever again to unlock the wheel.

She pulled the handle on the wheel for the first and last symbols noted down in Werner's notebook and pulled the lever for each one locking them in palace. For the next two symbols she turned the wheel until each came in line with the rest and locked them as well.

A noise was heard next, a low grumbling. Lara was expecting the wheel to open some how but it didn't above her she heard the sound of something opening. She was slightly annoyed that she hadn't checked above the wheel. She found a way onto the bridge by jumping back to the other set of scaffolding and climbing that to the top then onto the bridge. She crossed it noticing a hole in the ground that wasn't there before.

Lara looked down. It was a long way.

"I opened something." She said knowing Zip would comment.

"What'd you open?"

"A hole. I don't know how far down it goes." She replied. "I might go to far for us to communicate."

"Ah." Zip was uncertain how to react.

"zip?"

"yeah?"

"I… If the police show up. Don't be stupid just… be careful will you?"

"Don't worry Lara." Zip said. "I'll be waiting when you come out. OK?"

"Thanks" Lara said as she lowered herself down and hung on the edge. How was she going to get back up? She'd find a way. She always did.

"Good luck, come out in one piece will ya."

"Don't worry. I will."

Lara took a deep breath and let go.


	14. Chapter 14: Additional Incursion

Chapter 14: Additional Incursion

He broke in through a side entrance not accessible to the public. He made sure there was no damage so no-one would know he'd entered. He ascended to the next level planning to make his way to the dig without disturbing the guards. Constant vigilance would be needed here, along with patience. He also had to keep an eye out for his rivals.

The main set of rivals who may or may not be coming tonight, he wasn't so worried about them. They were familiar to him and predictable; the fact that he used to be a part of them meant that he knew how they operated. However his new rival was less predictable.

Ms Croft.

The woman had, in the space of a day, gone from a reclusive, over privileged rich lady (in his opinion) to a fugitive wanted for two murders. Along the way she had broken into a secured club under police protection made her way into a Parisian gang bosses headquarters and survived an explosion at a rigged shop. Though these things had impressed him he'd found her annoying. Mostly in the fact that she was getting in his way, blindly following the same path as him, seemingly without the faintest idea of what to expect at the end. She was also leaving a rather obvious trail of destruction in her wake. Kurtis himself would have to admit the he wasn't a most subtle man but even he wasn't that reckless. Certainly not with his past.

As he ascended another set of stairs he stopped short of the top when he heard the voices of two guards. A message was broadcast to them on a radio.

"Alert, we have an intruder!"

_Oh shit_ Kurtis thought. But he can't have been seen.

"Intruder has broken into Mademoiselle Carviers office. Be on the lookout for a female intruder.

_Good work Croft_. She was already here which meant getting through unnoticed just got a little harder now that the guards were actually alert.

Mademoiselle Carvier? Kurtis recognised the name; he'd heard it earlier that day in the café where he had first seen the British woman. He recalled how she had reacted to the news of Carviers death last evening. She hadn't known about it. But she had been there beforehand and had been seen by a witness leaving the scene.

The police suspected a connection between her and the Monstrum, that she was the Monstrum. Kurtis knew full well that she wasn't. Unless… _nah, silly idea, _and unlikely.

He waited for the guards to move off and continued on his way.

Instead of following his original plan and going directly to the dig he would go to Miss Carviers office to find out what it was that Ms Croft had to find. He made his way through some of the galleries using his instincts to guide him. He came to a stairwell with metal steps which he ascended to a corridor. His instincts told him that the office he wanted was at the other end of the corridor hopefully along with a security office as well.

As he passed a door and his left he peered through the window checking for anything, and did a double take. At the second peek he saw an unconscious guard inside. _Ah well, pleasant dreams_. He continued down the corridor, passing a door on his right which didn't look like a security office. The second door on the right did. And once again there was another unconscious guard, or so he thought. As Kurtis made his way through the room to get to the security office the guard moaned, Kurtis acted quickly going through the circular doors and rendered the man unconscious again before he had a chance to see or react.

Kurtis examined the recordings of Carviers office and determined that Croft had been there about a half hour earlier. He saw that she had removed from the desk what appeared to be a keycard and had spent about five minutes looking around and writing stuff in a journal. He used the camera to have a detailed look around. It seemed that the owner had displayed a number of things connected to the Obscura paintings, along with information on the artist Brother Obscura, a forerunner of his. He noticed a familiar painting on one wall. It was a painting of the Black Alchemist imprisoned by the Lux Veritatis in front of one of their old strongholds in Germany, Castle Krieger. Kurtis remembered his father talking of this place, in how Eckhardt had fought against them in order to claim the castle and had succeeded only to be later defeated and imprisoned there in the vaults below.

This Professor Carvier had certainly done her research and had posthumously assisted in assisted Ms Croft in getting access to the dig.

Before coming here he'd done some research of his own. Not on the Louvre, he'd had that for days but on his new rival, Croft.

Ms Croft, an English aristocrat and world renowned tomb raider as she was known. An archaeologist Crossed with an explorer she was. Her recent history and news stories covered her mysterious disappearance in Egypt. She had been first seen about a year ago coming off a plane in Heathrow airport from Cairo. The tomb raider's return had sparked questions and theories regarding the events of her disappearance and survival. No official report was ever given, so all stories were filled with unsupported speculations and theory and many of them unlikely. Now that she had been connected with the death of Von Croy some of these theories had changed to incorporate a reason for her to have killed him.

Damn journalists, cant find truth they make up something.

If his calculations were correct Croft was sure to be in the dig by now and if her reputation was anything to go on he'd be seeing her soon and probably with the painting.

Kurtis debated on whether or not he should go down after her and get the painting himself or wait for her to bring it out.

'_Demon hunter'_

Over the years he'd acquired the nickname for all the evil that had found him no matter how he tried to escape it. But fighting dark demons was very different to retrieving something from an ancient tomb. Since this was Ms Croft's speciality he wasn't going to disturb her or interfere, at least not yet. He would take the painting from her at the right moment.

_A.N: Sorry for the long gap but I had a bit of trouble with the creative brick wall in my head but I think I've overcome it. The next chapters are going to be based on the beta version and obviously with my own additions so that it all makes sense (I hope). I will post a map I've drawn on my Deviant art page and put a link to that on my profile page at some point soon._


	15. Chapter 15: Veteres Sepulchrum

Chapter 15: Veteres Sepulchrum

_(The title is Latin for Tomb of Ancients)_

_A.N. this chapter follows the beta idea and I've made a map which is on Deviant art which you can find a link to on my profile. Enjoy._

1Lara landed at the bottom of the pit after her long fall. The journey down had been at a slight angle allowing her to slide down rather than fall directly. She couldn't begin to guess how far she had come. Lara stood, patting off the dirt and dust she'd collected on her way down. She was in a very old tunnel, one that was crudely dug with wooden supports.

It was very quiet.

She tried to contact Zip but there was no reply – out of range.

Lara followed the tunnel around she came across a door that was set into the wall, she looked inside but it was just an empty room or an empty cell. Either way she wasn't going in. She continued down the tunnel where it opened up into a well built entry way. There was a large wooden door possibly oak inlayed and embossed with metal. It was very beautiful work. She must have stepped on some sort of pressure pad because as she approached the door opened lifted straight up.

Lara followed through into a large hallway, abnormal light shone through from above reflecting off the shiny polished walls and floor panels. It appeared to be in three sections and at the very end was a large statue of something that over saw the whole room.2 The air inside was stale, which added to the abnormality inside. There were four other statues inside in the first and second section of the hallway on either side. They were of what appeared to be decayed and dressed as medieval soldiers or knights, 14-1500's? Lara ventured further into the room, treading carefully else she might activate a trap although unbeknownst to her she already had.

As she entered the second section of the hallway she became aware of a presence behind her, and uncomfortable and familiar feeling. She reached for her guns and turned. The two knights from the first section had begun to follow her to the second section and the two knights in this section were also on the move. They weren't statues at all. They were dead knights or un-dead ones given the fact that they were moving. The last time Lara had encountered un-dead anything was in Egypt. Lara put the memories aside and took aim at the first two knights and fired at their heads. One fell back to the floor and the other had put his shield up in time to deflect the bullets fired at him. Lara in the meantime had turned to give a high kick to one of the other two knights who stumble back. She fired at the last knight who fell over and returned her attention to the first two who were both standing and coming for her.

Her pistols were having little effect so she switched them for the shotgun she brought. The power of the shotgun knocked the knights down faster and the pellets disintegrated them. It was a bit of a shame to have some of the pellets make a mess of the walls behind them. Not that she had time to find a sword. This brought back some memories.

"Just for once it'd be nice to walk into a room and not have the statues try to kill me."3

Judging from her experiences she had a short amount of time to move on from this room before the knights got up again. Lara walked down the hallway to the large statue at the end. There was no door behind it but upon examining it more closely it sounded hollow and Lara doubted that she had the strength to push through. She turned back to the rest of the hallway, checking on the knights that they hadn't started moving. She looked up above the area that separated the second and third section and saw a long banner that hung down. The banner had a metal bar at the bottom. Lara visualised herself running and swinging in the banner so she could knock the statue into the wall allowing her to get though.

Lara took up her position and made her run jumping over one of the knights in the process and jumped onto the banner swung into the statue she let go of the banner before she came in contact with the statue and when she did touch it she pushed as hard as she could and flipped backwards landing squarely on the floor. The statue fell back into the wall creating an opening which Lara was able to get through.

The opening lead Lara into a corridor in the same style as the hall, it took a left turn. Down the corridor was a door above it was written in Latin 'ULTRICES ATRIUM CUSTODIUNT'. _The wrathful sentinels guard the halls within_. That told Lara that the knights she met wouldn't be the only ones she would meet.

4Through the door was another door that led Lara into a massive circular room. The room appeared to be slightly damaged based on that the ceiling had collapsed. Other than that the room was well built, there was a large circular pool which had its own architecture inside. Lara looked around the room she could see a door ahead and one to her right looking to her left where the collapse was there might be a door behind it. Lara tried the two doors she could get to but they wouldn't open, she also tried to find a way to get to the possible third one but it wasn't accessible. Lara was glad she'd picked up a waterproof bag since it looked as if the only way forward was to go underwater.

Lara dived in looking around; underwater there was a tunnel that went under the area that had collapsed and at the bottom was a grate. It was circular and beneath it was a crystal of some kind embedded on top of a pedestal. Lara surfaced for air and dived back down and went through the tunnel and surfaced in a small square room. The room had two doors one of which Lara calculated would return her to the circular hall. It didn't appear damaged but she was unable to open it.

She went through the other door and followed the dark corridor around to a massive chamber.5 She was on a bridge that had once extended out across the chamber but had at some point collapsed in the middle. Below the bridge the chamber was filled with water though Lara suspected that it might not have always been like that. The chamber extended very high above her, the rafters were inhabited by bats which were chattering above her.

She walked to the edge of her side of the bridge and estimated that she could jump the distance to the other side. She did with no trouble and followed where it took her.

The corridor was dark like the one before and followed a turn to what appeared to be a dead end. Lara switched on her torch. At the end of the corridor was a solid door and as she approached she stopped about a metre in front of it there were words on the door in Latin that read

SPIRACULUM INFERUS, _'Breath of Hades'_ and examined the floor6. The last floor panel had a symbol on it a circle with waves in it. The panel lifted slightly, a pressure pad. Lara stepped on it and the door lifted revealing a small antechamber within.

The antechamber was chilling, the air inside was moving. The chamber was rectangular with a deep pit separating Lara from the other side. Some thing in the pit illuminated the room. There was some walking space but not much. Below in the pit were a number of upright posts that were a few metres down and appeared to be floating. On the other side of the pit was an alcove into the wall with some sort of shelf, holding something that she couldn't see. On Lara's level on either side of the pit were stone heads, like dragon heads with their mouths wide open blowing air across the room with force. There were three each side with two more facing her and either side of the recess.

Lara's mind set in motion. Puzzle. Intellectual challenge.

She needed to bring the posts to her level and time carefully between the air flows in order to get across without being blown off. She needed to find a lever or some sort of mechanism to raise the posts. Lara looked around for clues to guide her. To the left of the entrance Lara was examining the wall; she found cracks between some of the bricks. She pushed the wall and felt it move slightly. A hidden passage. Lara mustered her strength and pushed the wall right in. Inside was a lever which she pulled and she heard the sound of a mechanism working in the antechamber. Lara retuned to there and the posts had risen to floor level and the breathing of the stone heads had intensified, like wind.

Lara watched that stone heads and saw that as each head breathed it moved slightly and soon she was able to pick up the order in which they breathed. She jumped on the first post which moved slightly when she'd landed. It surprised her and had caused her to nearly loose her balance. She crossed the rest of the way, nearly being blown off twice, but she was able to get to the alcove.

The alcove contained a stone shelf set into was a fist sized crystal, like the one she'd seen underwater. Around the crystal were carved various signs and symbols, some she recognised as symbols for air or wind. Like elemental symbols. She was weary of lifting it since the last time she removed something without careful consideration she released a vengeful Egyptian god.

She held her breath as she took the crystal.

The sound of rushing wind stopped. Lara turned back to leave the alcove. She jumped to the first post. It didn't move and neither did the next one. She made it back to the other side with no problem. She turned back for a moment then continued on her way back to the huge chamber.

She jumped back across the bridge intending to head back to the circular hall. She came back to the square room to find the other door was now open and an un-dead knight was prowling the room. 7

This one was wielding a flaming sword.

Lara pulled out her shotgun and the two of them circled the room until Lara was in front of the newly opened door. Lara backed into the corridor as the knight continued around the room until he had come to the door.

She lifted the shotgun and shot at him causing him to stumble back and she continued this until he fell in to the opening in the floor. The water quickly extinguished his sword. Lara moved forward to investigate. The knight was sinking to the bottom of the pool.

The newly opened corridor contained the answer to what she needed to do. There were two recesses on each side and one recess had the same circular symbol with waves across it, like the one in the floor panel outside the antechamber she got the crystal from. She placed the crystal in the recess above the corresponding symbol.8

The crystal glowed as it locked into place. There was some quiet rumbling which told Lara she had activated the next part of the puzzle.

…

Zip sat in his van waiting. It had been over forty minutes since Lara had been in contact and he was getting concerned. He was getting increasingly on his guard since he was in his van out on the street in the middle of the night and the van was filled with high tech computer equipment. If the police came nearby and decided to investigate the van he'd have a lot of explaining to do. And to make things worse if they found out he was helping their newest most wanted person, o boy would he be in trouble.

He could get arrested for helping her.

These thoughts circled round his head making him very nervous.

…

Lara returned to the circular hall to find that one of the other two doors had opened and ventured through. It was like the corridor that had taken her to the antechamber called Breath of Hades and she wandered what this one might be called. The floor panel at the door at the end had another symbol in a circle. The door was labelled BESTIAM IRÆ; 'The Beasts Wrath'9 Lara activated the door to the next room, though room was too small a word.

The antechamber was vast, about two thirds of the way across stood an enormous statue. It looked sort of human, grotesque and winged out of its hands were flames. It gave her the creeps. Lara noticed that on each side halfway across the room were two flame holders beneath which were levers. Behind the statue was an alcove. Like the one in the previous antechamber but unlike the Breath of Hades room, the door shut behind her.

Lara walked forward into the room and as she did she experienced what felt like an earthquake. The floor collapsed. Most of it fell into a chasm but some was left behind. What remained of the fallen floor were a series of possible paths across the room. There was no direct way so Lara would have to make some carefully executed jumps. She went down to the left and down the side of the room but the path started to collapse beneath her feet forcing her into a run. She jumped as she ran to the next section of the path in the far left corner from the entrance leaving Lara beneath the alcove.

She couldn't jump to the alcove. To get there she needed to cross a very unstable looking bridge. The path she was on now went under it partway then there was a jump to the opposite corner.

As she anticipated, the floor collapsed as she ran across to the corner. Even at the corner the path still continued to collapsed and she made a run and jump to a part that took her to the original floor level. At least she was on the bridge, and when that collapsed how was she going to get back?

Lara ran across the bridge to the alcove but the collapse happened faster than she could run and she lost her footing falling.

As she fell she was able to grab the ledge of the alcove. But the event had surfaced a bad memory.

…

_She stepped backwards and had unwillingly fallen into an opening chasm. He had reached out for her._

"_Lara, take my hand" he said in desperation. "Lara, trust me."_

_She had hesitated in fear of him and when she did reach up he hadn't reached hers before she fell into the darkness of the tomb._10

…

She pulled herself up. She hadn't fallen. Not like before.

She was shaking slightly at the memory.

The alcove contained a crystal like the one before and the symbols that surrounded this one were to do with the element of earth. She retrieved it and turned to figure out a way to get back to the door.

The floor was reassembling itself with a hole in the middle to the chasm below. But at least the levers either side of the room, they were probably there to open the door.

She headed to one of the levers when the flame holder above it dropped some fire to the floor that reformed in to an un-dead knight with a flaming sword. On the other side of the room was another knight with the other lever and a third knight guarded the door and Lara's only way out.

The nearest knight to Lara advanced o her and whilst she backed away she pulled out her shotgun and loaded it. Lara loured the knight away from the lever until he was between her and the chasm. The force of the shot gun knocked the knight back and a couple more sent the knight into the chasm, leaving the lever unguarded which Lara ran to activate.

In the meantime, the knight that was guarding the other lever had moved around the chasm towards her. Lara saw this and ran around the other side of the chasm to the other lever and pulled that one.

The door opened and the knight in front of it was reluctant to leave his post. So with the other knight still coming for her and so she repeated her actions for dealing with the first knight.

It worked and the knight fell into the chasm.

This seemed to prompt the last guard to go for her. They circled the open chasm until Lara had her back to the door and she ran out of the door and down the corridor. She heard the door close behind her as she left.

She returned to the place where she had taken the air crystal and placed the one she had just found in its appropriate place.

If this was all about collecting elemental crystals then the next two were water and fire. The water crystal would have to be the one under the circular grating in the pool and that would be the one she would go for next.

She dived in back to the circular hall and swam around looking for a sign like the others. She came up for a breath and dived down again she found an opening above the opening was the water symbol and the words, NEPTUNUS PRÆTORIUM, Neptune's Hall.11 Quite appropriate, Neptune god of the sea.

The opening took the through some underwater tunnels she swam until she found an air pocket where she could regain her breath and continued down the tunnel and down deeper.

The lower tunnels were trapped with spikes coming out the walls. There were three sets of them and Lara had a couple of narrow misses with them and was now running out of breath again. She found a second air pocket, much to her relief. She left and followed the tunnel to its end coming out under the circular grating. Inside was a large pillar on which was the water crystal which she took.

Before going back into the tunnels she spotted a lever below and pulled it. The lever opened the grating allowing Lara to swim up and surface. When she got there she was gasping.

She now had three of the crystals but where was the fourth? The last door in the circular hall remained unopened and she couldn't see another.

Lara returned to the huge chamber with the bridge.

She figured in her mind that the water below the bridge wasn't here before, so maybe the next and last place was down there. This time Lara took her back pack off and shotgun left it on the bridge as she dived in. The water was cold and deep. There was an inset in the wall and it appeared to be a door, not that it was opening.

A couple of metres under the surface of the water was a large wooden ninety decree bracket above it was a lever which Lara pulled.12 It activated something which caused a number of bricks to slide out of the walls almost like stairs13. They went from the apparent door to the ground near a small opening at the bottom. Lara went down there and found another lever inside, this one opened the door.

Lara retuned to the surface and collected her backpack and shotgun before going through the door, making her way up some steps before she was able to surface and the corridor led her to the last element room.

SANCTUARIO FLAMMA, sanctuary of the flame,14 the fourth and last crystal. The fire element. Inside the room it was like an oven. Flame and lava. The floor was set out in a hexagonal pattern partway across the room followed by a pool with stepping stones.

Lara started into the room when a column of fire shot up beside her. This was a seriously dangerous task. She began across the stepping stones having to move quickly as they would start to sink as she stepped on her. They didn't sink fast so they didn't alarm her too much. Not like getting the earth crystal. She got to the other side with not too much trouble. The room was backing. Lara would be glad to get out and cool herself in the cold water waiting for her.

She picked up the last crystal and turned to leave. The stones shed come across had disappeared to be replaced by different ones. Lara moved quickly across them and theses ones sank faster than before and Lara got back and out safely. She ran down the corridor and down the steps into the cold water and swam back up to the surface.

She placed the last crystal with the other three and what she heard next was the sound of mechanics working. Lara returned to the Circular hall and found the final door open.

...

1 Tunnels beneath the Tomb of ancients

2 Beta version has a statue and banner puzzle

3 Found a picture of Lara fighting a few dead knights in a room. I combined it with the line from hidden sound files.

4 Hall of seasons with Neptune's hall as a part of it- YouTube E3/beta videos and tomb raider forums

5 Tomb of ancients with water under the bridge

6 Breath of Hades same as retail version and YouTube E3/ beta Videos with my own small changes

7 Neptune's hall un-dead knight

8 Hall of seasons where you place the crystal

9 Wrath of the beast pretty much the same.

10 YouTube video of deleted scenes this one was apparently supposed to be here originally

11 Neptune's hall like itself

12 In game part of Tomb of ancients puzzle

13 In game part of TOA puzzle

14 Sanctuary of the flame like itself


	16. Chapter 16: Prætorium Importune

Chapter 16: Prætorium Importune

(Title is Latin for Hall of Seasons)

_Authors note this chapter the previous one and the next may only make sense if you view the map I made which is partly based on the beta version and other research. The map you can find on deviant art by by following the link on my profile page. Enjoy._

The door opened to a dark corridor. The light of Lara's torch illuminated the corridor enough for her to see clearly down the corridor. The door was very solid, thick wood backed with metal. In the wall next to the door frame were a series of four holes that probably held bars to keep the door locked. Presumably they were unlocked when Lara placed the crystals into their assigned spaces.

The corridor had a slight turn in it and soon ended quite abruptly with a pit.

Lara got onto her stomach over the edge of the pit and looked down. There was an orange red glow coming from an opening at the end. Judging by the depth if she went down she wouldn't be able to come back this way, but so far so good she hadn't been killed yet. Close but not yet.

She dropped down and went though the opening. inside Lara was in yet another corridor, this one seemed to curve and was filled with things that belonged either in a medieval torture chamber during the inquisition or that came out of the imagination of a seriously screwed up horror story. Simply put if Lara made one mistake in here she wouldn't live to regret it.

She had barely walked two metres down the corridor when something on a track started to chase her. Her instincts kicked in and she ran down the corridor jumping over flaming pits and avoiding some other traps, one of which threatened to cut off her head. She saw an inset ahead of her and ducked inside as the rolling trap continued on its way down the corridor.

When it was out of sight Lara followed in its wake, hoping not to run into it again if it decided to come back. She avoided some spikes coming in and out of the walls. And just passed a second inset she saw the rolling trap sitting there unmoving. As she got to the inset it started rolling again, this time towards her. She performed a diving roll over the trap and into the inset, turned and watched the rolling trap continue on its way back to the other side.

She looked back into the inset and realised that it wasn't like the other one. It led to a small square room which had a chain and pulley system in the centre. Like a crude manual elevator. If it was the kind that Lara was thinking it was, then operating it was relatively simple. Pulling down would get her up and pulling up would send her down.

Lara tried going up first, and it worked. If not she'd have gone down. The lift only seemed to go up one level. She let go of the chain and the lift stayed still.

Upon leaving the room she found herself inside another huge chamber. Not as large as the one with the broken bridge, but much more stylish. It was another circular room, a running theme in this place. The ceiling was quite high and halfway up was a crossbar at a gallery level where there were no steps to. There was a second gallery level above that one and there was once a third but that was damaged along with the domed ceiling. Through the damage there was a small hole in the dome.

Lara was certain she needed to get up there, and how was her next point in mind.

Lara examined the floor in case there was some sort of clue about how to get up there. As she looked at it closely she realised that the floor was decorated with a circular horoscope calendar. How exactly it would help her she didn't know but it had to have some significance.

There was nothing there that was helping so Lara returned back down to the circular trap corridor. She continued around the corridor, avoided some more traps and found another inset and went passed it when she saw nothing in there. She came across another one, this time on the inside of the curved corridor and not on the outside like the others and with a set of decorated doors.

Through the doors, Lara stood at the top of a room that appeared to be a rather complex boiler room and seemed to be more up to date that the 14th-15th century architecture and knights she had already come across. Very early plumbing 16th -17th century at least, meaning the people who built this place still came here. The Lux Veritatis?

She saw across the room two valves above which were familiar symbols. The same ones which corresponded to the crystals she had gathered in order to get this far. Lara looked around for two more, one was to her left on the came catwalk she was standing on. She went to this one first and turned it, then went down a ladder and jumped to the catwalk around the central boiler system.

On the side of the main boiler was the last valve which she couldn't see from the door. She couldn't turn it though since there was a grill in front of it. So she went for the other two.

Down below was a tapping noise, and it was moving. Lara looked down to see another knight on the floor below, walking in her direction. He didn't seem to be able to climb the ladders; he just walked around on the floor wherever she went in the room. She climbed across a chain that took her to the other side of the room where she climbed a ladder to where the second valve was, and after that she made her way to the third.

In the meantime the guard followed her across the room. She heard his shield knock a couple of times against a supporting post of the catwalk.

Once the third valve had been opened the grating around the final valve opened and Lara made her way back there to turn that one. There was a rushing sound as she did, like air and water and the room came to life, literally.

Various parts of the room sprang into action becoming spinning blades and other implements of death. She had to get out before she became a well sliced cucumber.

She managed to get back to the first catwalk without getting cut to pieces but as she crossed it to get to the door a blade caught her right shoulder. She stood in the entrance way placing pressure on the wound and looked down below. The knight there was up in arms trying to fight the spinning blades with his shield and spear and not being incredibly successful. Clearly no one had told him about this trap in order for him to be prepared for it. Before she left the room she examined her shoulder the cut was long but not very deep. She'd live, assuming she didn't run into more traps other than the circular corridor.

Lara made her way back to the horoscope room. Four pillars had now come up from out of the floor and were rising and dropping accordingly to different heights. The tallest stopped beneath the crossbar. She climbed the lowest block when it came to the appropriate height and hopped to the next until she was at the top. She waited for the peak height and remembered it and on the second peak she jumped for the crossbar. She walked carefully over to the gallery vaulting over the banister to safety; after all it was a long way down.

There were steps to the next level but the damage to the third level meant that she wouldn't be able to get to the top the conventional way. But considering the nature of the damage, there was an alternative.

She jogged towards the stairs. Before she got there a knight burst out of the wall. _How many of these guys were there?_ She had lost count.

The un-dead knight stood at the base of the stairs and stood at the ready to take on his foe. She was not going past him. His quarry armed herself with her weapon and he advanced on her preparing to swing at her with his sword.

Lara shot at him a number of times with her pistols backing him to the stairs. He backed into the stairs and collapsed backward to which Lara took advantage and grabbed the knight's leg dragging him off the stairs, picked him up and pushed him over the edge. She heard him shatter of the floor below and then continued up the steps to the next level.

Some of the second level was damaged and Lara had no way up but she was closer to the gap in the domed ceiling. She decided to make her way there. From the nature of the damage Lara could climb the damage of the roof and into the gap.

As she made her way around the second level meeting two more knights plus a third that came up from the steps apparently out of nowhere. She didn't bother fighting them to the end but got then to move out of her way. She got to the beginning of the damage and climbed up. She relaxed a bit when she was well out of the reach of the knights. She found a place for her to stand for a moment while deducing her next move.

She climbed up further and the angle started into the domed ceiling. Even with her experience in free climbing it was still an unnerving experience. The idea of hanging from the ceiling by only her fingertips wasn't the best of feelings.

She almost slipped a couple of times as she made her way to the hole in the ceiling.

Lara climbed through the gap into a small room on the floor of the room there was the remains of the stairs that would have come into the room, had they been there. There was another way out of the room, a small dull looking corridor with a door at the end which opened when Lara approached it.

It opened up to a longer corridor. Halfway down was a set of steps leading up to another door and at the end of the corridor there was a lever and above it was a wooden panel in the ceiling. _A trapdoor?_

Lara returned to the steps and ascended.


	17. Chapter 17: The Artists Crypt

Chapter 17: The Artists Crypt

Gundersen arrived at the galley and his team efficiently as ordered entered and incapacitated the guards.

The team was assembled and everyone was ready. Gundersen took a last inspection of the men and nodded this indicated for them to embark the vehicles and prepare to move out. Eckhardts contact had informed him that the croft woman who'd been sticking her nose into this business was going for the painting as per Von Croys instruction. Her arrival at Von Croys apartments had been expected but her interference since then had been problematic especially since she was drawing unnecessary attention to herself.

They had two objectives, one get the painting, and two get rid of the evidence, name one Miss Croft.

….

The door at the top of the stairs lifted and inside was a well lit chamber. It had the reminiscent feeling of an old chapel. It had a simple decorative ceiling, like a church. To each side was an aisle separated by some columns. In the centre and focus of the room was a tomb, one that reminded her of Phillip pot. The most interesting fact was that tomb was on display in the museum above her, and its doppelganger was in front of her, beneath the Louvre.

Surrounding the tomb were five statues each of a praying hooded monk, or so she thought. The way their hands were they were holding a book, _or a painting_. There was a strange light that switched from one painting to another.

Lara walked up to the tomb. At the foot of the tomb was inscribed OBCSURA FRATREM. Brother Obscura. This was his tomb, the artist crypt. There was something inscribed on the side.

ULTRA VIGILIS UMBRAM, ECCE VERITAS.

"Through the spirit of the keeper behold the truth." She whispered.

No sooner she had uttered those words what sounded like a cry of death filled the hall. Out of the tomb rose a figure that could be compared to a nightmare. A ghost or spirit, red and vengeful, it passed over Lara knocking her on her back and it circled the room. The door to the room lamed shut holding her inside.

Could it have been the spirit of Brother Obscura, protecting one of his paintings? It had to be.

Lara ducked as it came at her again and she kept this up all the while looking at the five monk statues. The blue glow that was jumping about when she came in was now brighter, and the central one the stone painting held in the monks grey, still hands coloured, and in effect became the paining but before Lara could take it the glow moved to one of the other statues.

It was a game, avoid the ghost and take the painting at the right moment. Lara was having flashback to Egypt again although the last time she'd played around with someone's tomb she had awoken a god not to be trifled with. Though the ghost had nothing on Set it was still too familiar a feeling for comfort.

She spirit passed through the columns which meant that Lara wouldn't be able to shoot it but what she did was to shoot passed it which distracted the ghost momentarily. Lara returned to the central Statue and used her distraction method again. It was less effective but it worked long enough for the blue glow to transform the stone painting into the real thing an this time Lara was successful in taking it.

As she did the ghost let out a piercing scream and Lara left the room through the newly opened door and back down the steps, hearing the door close again behind her.

When Lara got down to the bottom of the steps she saw that the floor was flooded about ankle deep. _How?_ The door to the corridor was shut so Lara went for the lever and probable trapdoor at the other end of the corridor, although how it would help her since it was too high to jump up to she had no idea but she pulled it anyway.

The trap door let loose a ton of water which filled the room vey fast.

The route took Lara back into the room with the bridge which was now fully flooded. _That's a lot of water. And where in hells name did it come from? _Lara swam up and kept going. Far above the bridge was an opening to another tunnel which she went for. She was starting to run out of breath. Inside this possible way out was a plank of wood stuck across between the sides which Lara nearly hit her head on.

She got so far until the tunnel was up only and she kept going.

Up.

…

They arrived at the museum and disembarked the team split off into their sub teams some going into the galleries from ground level, others making their way onto the roof.

In position.

They waited for the signal, and when it came several of them dropped a can of teargas into the ventilation system simultaneously. For those already in the collapsing guards were the signal to continue.

Gunderson came to the main staging area and looked at the man in front of him. The man signalled to him success of the first part of this mission.

"You have your targets, move out!"


	18. Chapter 18: Seige of the Galleries

Chapter 18: Siege of the Galleries

_Authors note: No more beta so petty much as the game went for the time being._

Lara came out of the grate that brought her back to the archaeological dig to a different place. She slipped the backpack off and checked the painting. It was intact. _Thank_ _god_ _all_ _that_ _water_. She put her back pack on again and vaulted over a fence that separated her from the way out. She retraced her steps back through the metal doors and on her way back to the galleries.

She called Zip.

"Lara! Thank god you're ok." Zip had been out of contact with him for a little over two hours.

"The police know you're there. Well not you personally but they know there's an intruder and they are on their way to capture and arrest them, whoever they are."

"Ah, anything else?" Lara smiled.

"Did you get it?" Zip asked enthusiastically. He was probably hoping his assistance had resulted successfully.

"Yes."

"Right on!" Zip exclaimed. "Uh oh."

This sudden change of tone worried Lara.

"What is it Zip?"

"You're not alone." This statement sounded ridiculous considering.

"No Zip, it's just me and the museum guards, some of whom are unconscious."

"That's not what I meant Lara." Zip said. She could hear him clattering in the background. "I'm picking up other signals."

As Lara continued up the stairs a guard appeared at the top of the staircase and promptly collapsed falling down almost to her feet. She continued up the top of the staircase and smelled something.

Gas.

"Zip, they're here."

Judging from the guard's reaction she'd never make it out of the Louvre without collapsing. She needed a way to breath. Lara recalled the room down the corridor from Carviers office. The examination room had a cabinet with respirators. She was going there first.

Lara got to the door and armed herself. The use of gas told her that the new intruders were professionals, so using her taser wouldn't be very effective and she armed herself with her desert ranger. Preferably she wanted to get through and out of the Louvre unnoticed, but that of course would have to depend on how good her new enemies were.

"Zip, I'm going back to Carviers office and I need a way out from there."

"Gotcha."

I can get you out through a non public side entrance so that you won't need to go through the sewers again, I'll drive close as I can to there so we can be off. Ok?"

Lara took a deep breath and went through the door, gun raised. The lasers were turned off and an armed man stood in the gallery with his back to her. He was certainly dressed for the occasion, complete with a breathing unit. She took advantage of his unawareness and crept to him and shot him in the base of the head.

Not to take any chances she disarmed him, chucking his gun across the room and continued on her way to the office. As she entered the corridor with the metal staircase she encountered another man of the same persuasion as the last. He spotted her but not fast enough to shoot her. She didn't give him a chance to do so and disarmed him like the one before.

Once up the stairs there was a third man in the corridor who she took care of before going into the examination room. Lara went immediately to the radiation safety area and to the cupboard getting a respirator and putting it on. By now she had taken a few gulps of the gas. Wearing the respirator helped.

She was about to leave when she remembered that Werner had made a deal with Carvier for the use of an x-ray machine. It was a perfect if precarious opportunity. The painting contained a metallic symbol embedded in it. Lara couldn't begin to describe it. She copied it into the journal and took the painting out of the machine. Before she put it back in her backpack she noticed something she hadn't seen before. In the background of the painting was a castle, one she'd seen before. _Of course the painting in Carvers office._

Lara returned there looking at the hung painting of the restrained man. The background of the painting showed the same castle. But nothing told her anything about it or where it was. _If only Werner were here._ He could have helped her but he couldn't now.

Or maybe he could.

Lara left the office and indicated to Zip that she'd need that way out now. He talked her through it. Once down the stairs and out the corridor she turned left instead of right into more galleries.

Glass broke above her and a man came down on a rope. He was barely halfway down when Lara shot him and he fell to the floor and kept going through the doors.

Lara was now in one of the visitor's halls and another man tried to descend from the ceiling.

Unsuccessfully.

She left the hall into a grand staircase two more men were there. They acted and responded to her presence with military precision. They were seriously organised. _How many of them were there? There were more mercenaries here than there were knights below._ A small fire fight occurred which she won by near misses, plus she had the high ground over them. She went to one of the men and examined him more closely. He was wearing a patch that she recognised as the French Foreign Legion. Mercenaries.

Zip directed her through towards another gallery. Before she went in she ripped off the respirator, fortunately the gas has dissipated and she could breath properly again. She reloaded her ranger and walked carefully into the gallery just in case there were more men inside.

The gallery was hosting Mediterranean artefacts and Lara walked through slowly and on her guard.

She was barely halfway across when something flew at her. She darted out of the way spun round and pulled a gun on whatever the thing was.

It was a metal disk with five curved blades sticking out and in the disk itself five holes, in such a way that someone could put their fingers in to hold it. It has embedded itself into the wall quite cleanly, quite lethal. It reminded Lara of a shuriken, but this wasn't like one she had ever seen.

Lara instinctively turned to the direction it had come from. The person who had thrown it was clearly in that direction. She gradually stepped back intending to shoot whoever it was who had thrown it at her.

She froze.

She had made a stupid assumption based on cold metal pressed to the base of her head.

Lara mentally scolded herself for not being more aware.

She tried to turn her head to seen this person but they placed their hand on her shoulder and pressed their gun into her neck.

"Lara where are you?" Zips voice ringing in her ear made her jump slightly. The person behind her seemed to have heard him as they took the ear piece off and dropped it to the floor. The next sound was clearly that of them stomping in it. _Bye-bye Zip._

She could feel the person behind her step closer and she could feel their breath on the back of her neck. It felt masculine. This man or whoever had Lara under his control. Lara was a risk taker but she wasn't stupid. With a gun at her neck she wasn't going to commit suicide by trying to be clever at this point.

He returned his hand to her shoulder and ran it down her left arm, slowly. His hand reached the gun in hers and removed it from her letting the gun drop to the floor. The clattering echoed in the room they were in. his hand touched her again then went to her hip, slowly up and across her stomach to her right holster and removed that gun too.

Lara had been disarmed before but never like this. If it wasn't for the immediate situation, it could have been considered a very sensual, intimate communication between them. Lara mentally told herself off for thinking in such a way.

The man took from her also her desert ranger her taser and her shotgun leaving her very defenceless with regards to her weapons. She heard him kick some of them away.

Then he opened her back pack and removed the painting.

The gun held at her neck pushed into her again when she tried to turn he head in protest. Lara bit her lip. Now it was all for nothing.

She felt the gun lift from her neck and took this opportunity to regain control in this situation. She failed and they ended up the opposite way round and face to face with his gun now pushing into her chest.

Lara stared at her adversary; it was the man from the café who she had also seen outside the club. Neither had seen the other up close. She examined his features…

His blue eyes seemed to do the same to her, looking over her every detail. He was handsome in his way yet somewhat terrifying in a more subtle way.

He seemed to move closer to her, or was she leaning closer? Or both of them? He pressed his gun hard into her chest almost pushing himself away from her or her away from him. He backed away through the room his gun still holding his gun at her. She started to bend down to pick up one of the guns he'd removed from her when the bladed weapon removed itself from the wall and circled her. It glowed as it came close to her skin and she straightened up. The man stared at her from across the room as if to say, _oh no you don't. _On its own accord the weapon left her behind and flew to its owner who stretched out his hand and caught it with experience. The blades retracted.

He moved off. She had to get the painting back. If Lara stopped to pick up her weapons, she'd more than likely loose him though this labyrinth of galleries.

As she started after him, another door of this gallery opened and in stepped three men. Two were like the other assault men she had encountered the third was dressed differently no mask and a shaved head, their leader? He ordered them to fire at her and they shattered the glass display cases as she ran past them and out of the room.

She was weapon less and being chased and she in turn was chasing someone else. Someone who had something she needed to get back.

The chase took her back to the grand staircase and back into the galleries. She just came from this way! She had a feeling that her stalker wasn't just trying to evade her but the foreign legion mercenaries as well. He clearly had his own way out planned.

They came to the second gallery Lara had been in when she first arrived and she was worried for a few moments that he was going to try to get out through the basement. If he was, she knew they might not be able to get out that way due to the mess she'd left earlier. This worry was soon put to rest when he didn't go for those doors. He headed instead for a door that she was unable to open earlier. He turned briefly to see her right behind him and then turned back to the door and waved his hand at it.

What the hell?

The door flew off its hinges. _Telekinesis? Like how he controlled the bladed thing?_

Lara was gaining on him as they raced down the newly opened corridor and behind the both of them the mercenaries followed. The corridor ended with a small room with a large gong chained to the ceiling. The man threw the weapon which flew at the chains breaking them and dropping the gong on the floor. The gong started to roll towards the only way out.

The weapon flew at Lara and she ducked and rolled to avoid it when she stood to continue to run however the man had caught it and was now holding it at her neck.

It was a long few seconds; the man was going to hold her here until he could get passed the gong and not have her follow him. He smirked at her and dashed though the doo. Lara was on his heels and a mercenary caught up and tried to follow her through. She made it, the mercenary however did not and was crushed in the door by the gongs weight. As she ran from it she head something bang against it and the sound echoed down the hall, followed by words.

"Trent!"

The name was spoken in anger, not that Lara really cared right now.

She continued to run at the end of the hall until she slammed into the wall that turned into a stairwell.

The man she was chasing sat at the top of the stairs as if he was waiting for her. He smiled and waved at her. She ran at him and he saluted her and fell back. Her instincts caused her to try to grab him but he landed safely below. _What the… _She could fall a distance safely but if she tried to jump down here she'd never survive with out breaking some if not all her bones.

She rushed down the steps at top speed madly staring at him. He in turn watched her descend and as she got close to the bottom he ran off down the hall.

Lara didn't wait; when he ran off she vaulted over the edge onto the floor and followed him down the hall. There was an open door at the end and she ran out through there.

As she exited the Louvre she nearly ran right passed him. He was on the floor and apparently unconscious. She moved to him carefully in case it was a trick. He was definitely out cold. She was about to search him for the painting when she heard a noise. She turned and the last thing she recalled was a fist.


	19. Chapter 19: Back to the Beginning

Chapter 19: Back to the Beginning.

He came around.

Kurtis touched his head where he'd been hit. _Ow, that hurt._ He was out side the Louvre on the ground. _Oh yeah_, he'd been knocked out almost as soon as he'd left the building. He searched his pack quickly. The painting wasn't there. _Damn_. She must have had someone out here.

Or not.

He had picked himself up and saw her lying on the floor near him. Out cold. It would seem he had inadvertently become bait, for the both of them. He considered checking on her but she was clearly breathing. He heard a car arrive and so he left, quickly.

…

Someone was tapping her face; Lara attempted to slap the offending hand away. It was Bouchard.

"You ok?"

"Bouchard!" Lara was surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"No time now. Quickly!" he indicated for her to hurry. As Lara sat up she saw something on the floor and picked it up. Had the stranger dropped it? _Wait,_ the man was nowhere to be seen.

"Was anyone around when you got here?" she asked Bouchard as she stood.

"No. No one. Come on! This way." He hurried her along to his car. Lara stopped him.

"Bouchard, I must get back to Von Croy's apartment. There's something I have to check out there."

"Your friend's place. Of course. Where is it?" It seemed to her that for a Parisian Gang boss he was being unusually helpful.

"Rue Valise. The Chantell building. Do you know it?"

"My driver will. Get in."

Bouchard held the door open and Lara got into his car. He told his driver their destination and they set off. The car went around the Museum and further along it went past Zip's van.

Zip was being questioned by the police. Lara hoped they wouldn't press too hard or else because of her he might be arrested. At this point she decided that Zip was not to assist her further. As the car went around the corner Lara put him out if her mind and turned to Bouchard.

"What were you doing at the Louvre?" it seemed a bit convenient that he had turned up at this point to help her.

"Trawling police short wave. You were attracting a lot of attention in there. I figured you might need some help."

"Thanks."

"Wouldn't you prefer somewhere safer than your friend's apartment?" he placed his hand on he knee; Lara stared hard at him and lifted his hand away from her.

"I found some leads in the Louvre that may link to his death." One such lead being a Mathias Vasiley who was in contact with both Von Croy and Carvier. Another lead was the painting in Carviers apartment with the castle in the background being the same as the one in the painting from the tomb. Surely Werner would have researched it. "I have to check his apartment."

The driver gave some sort of signal to Bouchard.

"We're almost there. There's something you should know. The police bands were full of details of another Monstum killing - in Prague"

_Prague. That's where Vasiley was based!_

"Prague! Not a dealer named Vasiley? Mathias Vasiley?"

"Yes. You knew him?"

"He's connected with what I need to find at Von Croy's apartment." Damn. One less person to talk to now, he could have explained a lot to her. The car arrived at their destination and Lara moved to get out. Bouchard was about to join her when she stopped him.

"I need to go in alone."

"OK. I'll wait here." It didn't seem to bother him too much. Lara was getting a little on edge about his odd behaviour. It seemed he was being far too accommodating

"Appreciate it, Bouchard."

Lara approached the building. She summoned some courage to help her return to the place where these events for her had started.

…

Bouchard watched her enter and looked at his watch. He was going to give her ten minutes to get inside and get comfortable.

It was along ten minutes and when it was gone he pulled out his phone and called.

"She's inside now. You can send in the cleaner."

…

_There was a deathly silence in the apartment that was broken up by light thunder and rain. The apartment was in disarray, things were thrown aside. An armchair lay on its side next to a sofa on its back and opposite the chairs a small rectangular table was collapsed at the base of the fireplace. On the wall opposite the door was a circular window that was shattered, allowing the wind and rain in. On the adjacent wall in the centre was the fireplace; above it was a large symbol in a circle drawn in blood. On the wall either side of the fireplace there were more signs drawn in blood over the walls._

_The rest of the apartment was tidy and clean. This cleanliness was a contrast to the mess in the living room area. In the centre of the mess was a walking stick with an Egyptian jackal's head, gold plated and well crafted. This object fitted in with the numerous artefacts and books on Egypt and archaeology. The walking stick was in the mess near a blood pool._

_What had happened here was not understood, the victim was long gone, taken away by the police two days ago. The apartment was now shut off by the crossed police tape on the front door. No one was to enter._

_A pair of shadows appeared beneath the front door from the hallway and the tape that covered the door was torn away. The door was opened and someone walked in. they turned into the main room treading carefully. A few paces into the room lead to them treading on a framed photograph. The person picked it up. It was a photograph of a young woman and an older man; they stood to either side of a large stone which was carved into._

_The person continued to walk towards the circular window and then to a chest of drawers on the wall adjacent to it. The photograph was placed down below a framed painting. As the lighting flashed a dark haired woman stared questioningly into the reflection on the glass of the painting._

"_Help me Lara. I need you to get something for me."_

"_Go on."_

"_I'm tracking five Obscura Paintings for a client called Eckhardt. But he's a psychopath."_

"_Why should I care?" _

"_Because I'm being stalked! People are dying out there!"_

"_I'm going. Egypt Werner. You walked away and left me."_

"_Get out!"_

"Get out of the way" Wener pushed her aside and held his gun firmly at the man behind her.

"Von Croy! You located the Painting for me. Why have you not delivered it?" he asked. Werner blabbered like a coward. Lara couldn't have imagined Werner being like that before.

"I daren't collect it. It's too dangerous. But she'll be able to." He indicated her. The man threw her aside, hard and Lara hit the wall with force knocking the wind out of her and she fell to the floor. As her consciousness faded she faintly heard:

"Your usefulness is finished."

And Werner screaming in pain.

…

Lara remembered something. Get out of the way. Werner had pulled out a gun and pushed her aside to meet someone behind her. Lara connected the dots in her head. The man who had left Daniel Rennes pawnshop was the same one. It was certain that he had killed that man; he had killed Werner and probably Carvier as well.

She hadn't killed him.

Though that was a relief, it still weighed heavily on her mind the death of an old friend and mentor.

Lara went to Werner's desk and rifled through his papers. She needed to find anything he had that could help her. She found something about the Lux Veritatis. They were a 12th century offshoot of the Knights Templar. They were dedicated to suppressing evil, particularly works of Sorcery and alchemy, also responsible for destroying Eckhardt, the Black Alchemist, in 1445.

She found something on a group called the Cabal, a powerful alliance of five alchemists and sorcerers in the 13 and 1400's. Eckhardt apparently betrayed and murdered almost all of the original members to control their secrets. _Now that IS interesting!_ The reformed Cabal and the Lux Veritatis battled constantly even after the disappearance of the Black Alchemist Eckhardt in 1445.

Lara sifted through the notes and papers and found a photograph of a castle. Just like the one from the paintings. On the back it said 'Castle Kreigler', and some place in Germany. Other notes stated that the Castle was a Lux Veritatis base, taken over by the Cabal after 1445. Perhaps there was something there she could find. She pocketed the photograph.

She looked about the room to see if Werner had hidden anything. She knocked something onto the floor. She got down to find it and found something else instead. Werner's gun. It had obviously been thrown across the room in the struggle. It was still loaded.

The sound of a single beep coming from the door sounded suspicious. Lara went to investigate. There were now laser beams across the door. No doubt someone had rigged the room to wait for her to enter. She could see a small explosive devise at the end of one beam. If she crossed that…but then again no one else could enter without first deactivating the beams. The devise seemed too obvious. It wasn't there to kill her it was there to make sure she stayed inside.

Lara searched through the apartment for more ammunition. She found some but not much. It didn't help that Lara had been forced to abandon her weapons in the Louvre, but at least she had something. She ducked behind the dining table after she'd turned it over and waited.

A second beep sounded, the beams had been deactivated meaning someone was coming in to kill her. It couldn't be Bouchard since he could easily have killed her in the car or even at the Louvre.

The someone in question entered and went immediately for the kitchen space ducking behind the island counter.

The man was a professional. Their shootout practically tore the table in half. She waited until he reloaded before shooting back at him. She fired into an upper cupboard causing the things inside to topple onto him.

Lara had to reload and when she prepare to fire at him again the man was leaving the apartment. She followed him out and down the hall to the staircase.

There was a rhythmic beeping Lara ran back a few feet down the corridor and hit the floor. Behind her was an explosion. When she returned the stairs they were destroyed. He obviously was paid to kill her by any means. She jumped across the stairwell and continued down the hall. Around the corner was a short flight of steps. She went down and backed into the wall below slowly approaching the main hall. She peered around the corner; the hall was rigged with more lasers. The assassin was being smart to prepare for her survival of the stair bomb.

The assassin was setting the last of his devises, and his back was turned. _Bad idea_. She moved though the lasers carefully and hid just inside an apartment door alcove. She peered down the hall again the last laser trap was set and he was changing his weapon to a more powerful one.

She took aim down the hall and shot at one of the explosives. This initiative knocked him off balance and Lara proceeded down the hallway.

There was a final shootout across the corridor. Lara shot him squarely in the head causing him to fall down the stairs behind him.

…

The shooting had stopped. Bouchard got his phone and called the cleaner.

"Is she taken care of yet?" No answer. Which was strange considering the cleaner took pride in his work. "Is she dead yet? We have to get back to Prague."

"No, Bouchard. She isn't." Lara replied to him sternly. He felt a twinge of fear as she spoke to him. "But your little friend is. I'll take care of you later." She hung up.

Bouchard swallowed, he had failed. He told his driver to take them away from this place.

…

Lara searched the dead man and found Vasileys business card on him. She also found his activator for the lasers and deactivated the laser network. In another pocket she found some car keys. Lara removed the dead mans weapons and left the building. She pressed the key to unlock the car and a large black van down the road flashed its lights.

The inside of the van had weapons, tools and other essential supplies like food. There was even a pull down bunk; clearly he lived inside his van when he was on the job. Despite this it was immaculately clean. It might have been an obsessive tendency or he kept up with leaving no evidence of himself behind. Even an assassin could be very clean. Although the mess he made in the apartment contradicted the tidiness of his van.

Lara needed to go to Prague. To get there she would have to go through Germany. She could, on her way to the Czech Republic, stop by at Castle Kriegler. She loaded up and took out the photograph of the castle. She keyed in the location in the vans sat-nav and set off.

_Authors note: I've just noted that the castle in Germany is called Kriegler not Kreiger. Sorry my dyslexia told me other wise._


End file.
